Ever Present Past
by AmyHale
Summary: When Sarah was born, everything was perfect. But seventeen years later, her family is broken. Her sister is way too perfect, her brother is rebelling, her father has another wife and other children. Can she bring her life back to the way it used to be?
1. An Average Friday

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 1/?**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca (Kirsten and Lachlan), Derek-Meredith (Zola and Logan), Callie-Arizona (Sofia), Mark-Lexie (Dawson), Jackson-April (Toby and Max)**

**A/N: Some time ago, I wrote a six-chapters story in which Cristina and Alex were a couple and, at the end, they had a baby girl, Sarah Aliyah Karev. This is the sequel. If you remember, in my A/N I had written that everyone was single, because I wanted you to guess who the father of Cristina's baby was. Now that you know, that thing is pointless and the pairings are the ones I listed above. Some things are the same, though, for example Owen and Cristina really didn't marry and Izzie didn't leave. Who do you want to see them with? _Ever Present_ past is set seventeen years after Sarah's birth, but you'll see. You don't need to read _40 weeks_ if you don't want to, just know that Alex and Cristina got married and had a daughter. That's all, I hope you'll like this.**

"Zo! Zoe! I need the phone, hang up!"

"Stop shouting, Sarah."

"If you hadn't get drunk last night, your head wouldn't hurt." Sarah commented when she saw her fourteen-year-old brother rub his temples as he made his way to his bedroom. "Zoe! I'm the oldest and Mom's asleep, so listen to what I say!" she yelled then, opening the door her sister had just slammed.

"Why. Are. You. Yelling. So. Early. In. The. Morning?" Cristina Yang hissed at her daughters.

"Sorry, Mom. Zo won't hang up and I need to make a call. My cellphone's dead."

"I had the night shift, Sarah!" her mother continued scolding. "I got home less then three hours ago and ISAIAH! Don't think I didn't notice you had just sneaked in!" she raised her voice to be heard through the corridor, only to return her gaze to her daughters immediately. "We'll talk about this later. Zoe Crystal, hang up that phone or otherwise you'll be grounded; Sarah, drive your siblings to school, please, and go to your father's house after classes. I'll call you by dinner time, have a good day. And actually go to school, please."

Sarah sighed when Cristina closed the door behind her. Her parents' divorce hit them all hard. She was eight, Zoe was six and Isaiah only five, and before Alex and Cristina made their separation official the family went through long months of yelling and cursing and door-slamming, and when the kids' father had remarried to another woman, the bitterness in their mother's heart grew even more and for a while things didn't seem to be okay. Even now, Sarah hated her stepmother and the daughter she had had during her previous marriage, and the only reason why she could stand her half-siblings what that they were little children who didn't do anything wrong. Isaiah didn't see it the same way, though, and he found every possible thing that could make his parents angry and upset. Sarah did it too, sometimes, only to regret it later when she realized she hurt her mother. Only Zoe managed to act like the perfect child, in their messed up family. And Sarah envied her that, and respected her for that.

"Are you ready?" she asked her sister after putting on some clean clothes.

Zoe run her hand through her straight hair. "Ready. Let's go."

"Iz?" Sarah and Zoe peeked into the boy's room. He was laying on his bed – dressed but asleep. Sarah walked by and started to shake him. "Wake up, idiot! Mom will kill us both if you don't go to school. Get up." she hit him on his chest, not too hard, but hard enough to get a reaction. Isaiah grabbed her wrist to stop her, and opened his eyes with a grunt. "Fine. But I'm sitting in the front seat."

"No!" Zoe exclaimed from the corridor, making a step into the dark room.

"Please, guys. We woke up Mom once already."

Her siblings sighed, but let go of their argument and made their way to the front door. Sarah grabbed an apple from the kitchen, taking a bite as she closed the door behind her and locked it. Sometimes being the older was a hard job, especially since she turned seventeen and felt a little closer to being a major. That meant that she had to help her mother out more than ever before.

The girl put on some music in the car. The black BMW was her father's present for her birthday, and it was delivered with the sentence 'you're seventeen, it's not fair to you to use your mother's car'. Sarah loved the car, but she hated how Cristina got mad when she saw it. She remembered how she'd yelled at Alex, telling him not to ever buy something this huge without asking her first. It didn't matter that she was also his daughter.

"Turn it off, Sarah."

"If you stop drinking."

Isaiah groaned and closed his eyes, pressing his hands on his face. "I hate you."

"Uhu-uhu." she turned right and parked the car near the sidewalk. She could see the school, but she knew no one could see them from there. "I'll see you later."

"Where are you going?" Zoe opened the car door, but didn't get out.

"I don't know." sometimes, she couldn't help it. She knew it would hurt her mother, she knew it was wrong, but there was no way she could make the feeling of being out of place go away from her heart. In those moments she needed to be alone and think in peace. "Just, I have this test today. I haven't studied."

"Okay. Goodbye. See you later." Zoe kissed her sister's cheek and jumped out of the car, cheerful like she always was. Isaiah winced when she slammed the door, and closed his a lot less hard. "See ya."

_**x**_

"Hey."

"Hi kids!" Alex smiled as he went to hug his son and daughters. As always, he noticed that they were slightly uncomfortable, and as always he told himself that they were teenagers and didn't like to be hugged by their parents.

Zoe returned him a smile, while Sarah looked around the big apartment her father owned. The tv was on, the floor was covered by toys and crayons, on the table there were several awful drawings.

"Rebecca will be here anytime now with Kirsten and Lachlan, they went to the grocery store. There's Dani in her room, if you want to say hi." Alex knew the answer was no. His children never got along with his wife or her daughter, and although he loved Dani like she was his own child, he couldn't find a way to make Sarah, Zoe and Isaiah accept the situation. So when they were at his place and Dani was as well, Alex knew that he would probably end up arguing either with his kids or with his wife. Thankfully, at least his daughters acted well enough with the twins, because Alex didn't know how he would have survived if they picked fights with the three-year-olds.

"There are brownies and tea in the kitchen, if you want. How was school?"

"I got an A on my literature test."

Alex put an arm around Zoe's shoulders and placed a proud kiss on the top of her head. "Good job, Zo! My little genius. And what about you, guys?"

Sarah sat on a chair, taking a brownie. "As always."

"Meaning?" he winked. He knew she didn't like school and she would never have great marks like Zoe had, but he believed Sarah was way more smarter than she thought she was, and he wished she studied harder.

"Meaning, normal."

"I was sent to the principal."

"_Again?_" Alex was incredulous. His kids had been there for five minutes and they were already driving him crazy.

"Yep. Here. You gotta sign this and bla-bla-bla."

Alex threw him a warning glance. "_You got into a fight?_ And what would be the reason?"

Isaiah rolled his eyes and sat next to Sarah. "I felt like it, man."

"Don't-"

"I'm home!" a female voice called, and a mere second later two small kids came running into the kitchen.

"Sarah! Sarah, come see my new doll house!" Kirsten grabbed the girl's hand and started to pull her to make her stand up. Kirsten adored Sarah, for some reason she was her favorite sister. Although Zoe was usually the nicer one, she still disliked the two kids her father had with a woman who was not her mother, while Sarah with time learned to ignore it. Once, she took Lachlan to a football match, and she was just a little more willing to spend time with the twins than Zoe was. After all, it wasn't their fault.

With a repressed sigh, Sarah followed Kirsten through the apartment towards the girl's room. The teenager noticed that Dani's door was open, and she glanced inside. The older girl looked up, but didn't say anything. Sarah didn't even bother. She hated that girl who thought _her_ father was hers as well. She concentrated on what Kirsten was saying. The hyper three-year-old pointed to the wooden doll house before kneeling down to pick up a doll. "Her name's Sky, she's new. I got her for my birthday!" she showed it to her proudly, and Sarah took it reluctantly from her hands. "Why weren't you on my birthday party?" Kirsten scowled in a way that remind Sarah of Alex more than anything.

"Oh, I had to... study."

Kirsten remained silent for a while. "Why is Daddy yelling?"

Sarah glanced at the door; she had closed it but the apartment wasn't big enough for them not to hear Alex and Isaiah fighting. "He's not yelling, don't think about it. You... show me your dolls."

_**x**_

"I think this time Iz really crossed the line." Zoe whispered as she sat on the couch next to Sarah. The other girl put down the book she was reading. "Dad called Mom to tell her what happen to Iz's school today, and she brought up the fact that he was out pretty much all night. I've never heard him yell so loudly."

"I heard him too, you know." Sarah rested her head on the back of the couch. "You know what I wanna do? I know it's Dad's night to have us and all, but I wish we could get out of here and crush at Sofia's for the night, or at Zola's house. It would be sooo much cooler than this crazy place."

"Agreed." Zoe sighed, turning the tv on.

"Dinner's on the table, girls."

The two sisters looked up at Rebecca, both silently wishing she didn't exist.


	2. A Not So Smart Decision

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 2/?**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca (Kirsten and Lachlan), Derek-Meredith (Zola and Logan), Callie-Arizona (Sofia), Mark-Lexie (Dawson), Jackson-April (Toby and Max)**

**A/N: on my profile page you can find the link to see how I imagine Sarah, Zoe, Isaiah and the twins. I hope you'll find this chapter interesting.**

Sarah opened her eyes sleepily, and rolled over in the bed so that she was lying on her back. "Morning." she said, rubbing her right eye with her hand, to Zoe. She was putting on some make-up, and her half of the room already showed the mess the girl always managed to create. The bed was unmade, the shoes left on the floor, the clothes Zoe was wearing the previous day and her pajamas were crumpled up with the blankets.

Zoe turned her head briefly and smiled in her usual happiness. "Morning. It's almost eleven. Mom stopped by before work to yell at Isaiah. Oh, and there's a bad new." she put on some red lip-gloss.

"Why did you let me sleep in?" Sarah pushed the sheets aside and stumbled in direction of the little bathroom they had in their bedroom. She let out a yawn. "What bad new?"

"Rebecca's parents are coming over for lunch. And Dani's girlfriend is too."

"Which one?" Sarah asked through the door.

"Her girlfriend. What do you mean?"

"The blonde one, or the curly redhead one?" Sarah wiped her face with a clean towel, and reappeared beside her sister a few moments later.

"I don't get it, she's just her girlfriend."

"Zo, she has two girlfriends. But the blonde one is nicer. Well... less stupid. Strangely. Considering that usually blondes are-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, slow down! Two girlfriends? No, come one, Dani does not have two girlfriends. I mean – no, she doesn't, I would know."

"Really Zo, I'm telling you, I've seen both. I've met one this summer while you were away camping, and the other one is the one you know. Se said the redhead was a friend, but I saw the in action..." Sarah frowned. "Well, I'm hungry. Come keep me company?"

"Sure." Zoe followed her sister, still thinking about what she said. As they made their way to the kitchen, they looked int Dani's room. The door was open, she usually left it open, and their step-sister was sitting on the bed kissing a girl.

"The blonde one." the two teens both whispered with a knowing smile.

"What's her name again?"

"Whose name?" Rebecca asked. "Good morning, Sarah. We're having lunch in about an hour, can you wait until then?"

"I'm hungry..."

"Hey Pumpkin." Alex came in and kissed the top of her head, pulling both his daughters in a hug.

"Hi, Dad. Can I have some coffee?"

"Yeah, of course. Bec, out little man was asking for you."

"Going." Rebecca smiled at him, pecked his lips, and exited the room. Zoe looked down. She was nice to her, but she couldn't really accept the woman's existence. She had tried.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, thanks." the girl sipped the coffee Alex had handed her. "So, Rebecca's parents are coming here."

"Yeah, they should be here any minute now. They're nice people, so keep sarcastic comments to yourself." he winked.

"Is Rebecca coming with us tonight at Meredith's?"

"No, but the twins are. Rebecca's out with Dani tonight, mother-daughter time."

Sarah looked at her father skeptically. "Yeah, whatever. And Mom?"

"I don't think she's coming, honey."

"She should come, though." Zoe cut in. "Meredith's her best friend."

"Zo... it was her decision not to come. Come on, you'll see her after the weekend."

"Maybe if she knew Rebecca's not coming..."

"Sarah, that's not why your mother decided to stay home."

"It's exactly that." the girl mumbled through clenched teeth, but Alex ignored her. His children never understood why he and Cristina had decided to divorce, and as years passed and things didn't change the two of them chose to stop explaining.

"So!" Rebecca cheerfully said as she reappeared in the kitchen. "Girls, do you prefer lasagne or steak for lunch?"

"I'm kind of on a diet." Zoe said. "I'll eat salad and steak? Is that okay?"

"Oh, sure. Would you like some tomatoes?" Rebecca asked again as she started to set the table.

"Okay. Thanks."

"You don't need a diet at all." Alex told his daughter, who shrugged in response.

"Nana and Grampa are here!" Lachlan shouted excitedly from the living room when he heard the ring.

"I'll get the door." Sarah stood up quickly, knowing she would be asked to help her stepmother.

She opened the door and forced a smile. "Hi! Zac, Irene, come in."

"Hello, Sarah."

Irene was a nice old lady, and the teenager reluctantly admitted to herself that deep down she liked her, especially because she never treated her and her siblings any different than her biological grandchildren, while Zac often did.

"Did you have a nice flight?" she kindly asked as she took the woman's coat to hang it on the coat stand.

"We did, thank you." Irene answered her with a sweet smile.

"Mom, Dad, hey! Is everything good?"

"It is, dear." Zac told Rebecca as he sat on the coach and pulled the twins on his lap.

"Good. I'm gonna go get Isaiah, Dani and Rose, and then we can eat."

Alex made his way into the room with Zoe as Irene sat down as well. "Hello." he shook their hands with a slight nod and a smile.

"Zoe, look!" Kirsten, who seemed to only want her older sisters' attention, waved her painting in the air, staring proudly at Zoe.

"It's nice! Ain't it, Sarah?"

"It is." she sighed, kneeling down next to the little girl.

"Nana, Grampa!" Dani hugged them both. "This is Rose, my girlfriend."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Pope."

"Nice to meet you too, dear."

"Okay everybody, let's eat! Lachlan, Kirsten, go wash you hands, please!"

As they all followed Rebecca back into the kitchen, Sarah glanced at Isaiah. He clearly was in a bad mood, and it didn't help that they were at their father's house. "Hold on." she whispered to him. "Tonight we'll get a break at Meredith's."

"Tonight's kinda far away, you know."

"We can get Dad to go there earlier. Look..." she hesitated. "I know that you've been drinking lately, but you don't do drugs, do you?"

"No. Leave me alone, Sarah, okay." it wasn't a real question, and the girl just followed him silently and sat down next to Zoe, trying to focus on the voices around her but really isolating herself in her own world.

_**x**_

Sarah yawned. Dinner at Meredith's had been nice, but after all the crazy games she played with the other teens she was tired. Happy and relaxed, but exhausted. She pulled the blue blanket up, hiding under it to enjoyed its warmth. But just as she was about to fall asleep, her cellphone beeped making her wince. She whined quietly, but picked it up from the nightstand nonetheless.

-Hi pretty girl how r u?-

The teenager blinked twice, then read the message again. The words were there, but she didn't recognize the number. She wondered if she should answer or not, but after all she was awake...

-Who are you?-

The answer came half a minute later.

-Austin. Ur gorgeous-

-Do I know you?-

-U will, soon. Meet me 2moro nite at 9?-

Sarah stared at the phone. No one had ever asked her to go out with him, and she never even kissed a boy. Should she say yes? She looked at Zoe, soundly asleep in her bed. She could wake her and ask for advise, she was younger than her but way more social and outgoing. But her instinct told her to handle it by herself.

-Okay. But who gave you my number?-

-Secret, babe. C u 2moro!-

Since the conversation seemed to be over and she couldn't think about anything else to say, Sarah turned the phone off and lay down again. But it took her another couple of hours to finally fall asleep.


	3. First Date

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 3/?**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca (Kirsten and Lachlan), Derek-Meredith (Zola and Logan), Callie-Arizona (Sofia), Mark-Lexie (Dawson), Jackson-April (Toby and Max)**

Sarah had a problem. Two, actually. The first one was that, being at Alex's, she didn't have many clothes with her, only a few outfits for the weekend, and certainly nothing to wear to meet a guy. The second one was that, being at Alex's, it would be way more difficult for her to go out, because her father only saw her on weekends and he wanted to spend time with her.

"Can you play with me?"

She glanced at her brother, who was looking up at her with sad eyes. "Later. Could you go get Zo for me?"

"No, I wanna play with you, Sarah!"

Sarah sighed. "Come on, Lachlan, I'm late!"

"Late for what?"

"Great." the teen groaned. "What are going to do now, question me? Get lost, please, and take the kid with you."

"But Sarah!" the three-year-old whined, wrapping his little arms around her legs.

"Why are your clothes on the floor? Aren't you like, obsessive about tidiness?" Isaiah joked.

Sarah glared at him. "Because I don't like my clothes. And I'm not obsessed." she walked to Zoe's clothes, but her sister didn't have much either, strangely.

"Sarah!"

"Lachlan!" she snapped, looking at him severely, and the child burst into tears. She immediately felt a little guilty, but she was too nervous about meeting a complete stranger to really care about it.

"What's going on in here? Why are you crying, honey?" Rebecca picked her son up, rubbing his back to calm him.

"Nothing." Sarah answered. She needed someone to talk to, but not Rebecca. Never. "If you could all get out my room... I'm busy." she pushed Isaiah out, and as soon as her stepmother walked away as well she closed the door.

She took her phone and dialed her mother's number, hoping she wasn't in surgery.

"Hello?"

"Mom! Hi, it's me. Look, I need to talk to you about something..."

"Okay. Uh, I've just got out of the hospital actually, so shoot, what's going on?"

"Uhm, I have a date tonight. And... I have nothing to wear. And... I don't know how to make Dad agree..."

"Slow down, sweetie, you have a date? Really?"

"Why, is it so hard to believe?"

Cristina laughed. "No, of course not. So, who is he? Do I know him?"

"No, Mom, you don't."

"Is he from your school?"

"Oh, yes." she lied. Agreeing to meet Austin probably was the most irresponsible things she had ever done, considering she had no idea of who he was and his texts hinted to a parties-and-sex guy. "The problem is, I only have a pair of jeans and a few shirts. I wanted something... more elegant. Zoe doesn't have much either..."

"I hate to say this, believe me, but what about Dani? You're about the same height and you have the same physic, right? I think you could borrow a dress."

"Mom!"

"I know, I know, but you don't have many options, do you?"

"But what about you hurry a little and bring here a couple of my best stuff?"

"Sarah, your father's apartment is on the other side of Seattle, and I'm still driving home from the hospital."

"Please, Mom! I don' wanna wear Dani's clothes. And I don't wanna ask Rebecca for help. Please. I'll, I'll improve my grades at school. Promise. I won't skip any more classes and study reeeeally hard."

"What did you just say about skipping?"

"I was saying... will you bring me a dress?"

Cristina faked exasperation. "I will, I will. But we'll talk about it once you get home. Which dress?"

"I don't know! You choose."

"Okay. Tell your Dad I'll drive you to your date, okay?"

"Oh, God help me when I tell him I have a date. Bye."

After hanging up, Sarah walked to the living room where the rest of the family was. "Uhm, Dad, Mom's coming to get me. We, huh, we have do to something together."

"Oh... what is it?"

"She has a date!" Isaiah announced with a smirk.

"She has _a what?_"

"I don't!"

"I heard you telling Mom, don't lie."

"You were _eavesdropping_?"

"So you do have a date?"

"So what, Zoe's dated boys before."

Alex went pale.

"Alex, they're teens, it's normal." Rebecca cut in.

"Exactly."

"Why is your Mom driving you? I'll drive you. And who is this boy? How old is he? How did you meet him?"

"Mom's driving me because she has to bring me a dress here. I have no proper clothes to wear. His name is Austin, he is my age and I've met him at school. He's my friend Jenna's brother." Sarah invented, hoping nervousness didn't make her unbelievable.

"That's so cool, Sarah, you gotta tell me everything after." Zoe clapped her hands.

"Will do." someone knocked at the door. "That's Mom." as she put on her jacket and grabbed her purse as quickly as she could, Rebecca opened the door. "Hello, Cristina. Come in."

"Thanks. Hi guys. Alex." she nodded, and smiled briefly at the twins who were watching everything curiously. "Sarah, I brought you my blue dress, it should work. And that pair of shoes you bought and never wore."

"I'll change in the car, let's go."

"No way, I'm doing your make-up and your hair!" Zoe grabbed her hand and pushed her towards the bathroom ignoring her when she claimed to be late.

"So, who is he?" Alex asked again, this time to his ex-wife.

"I don't know, Alex, but we can trust Sarah."

"I do trust her, I have doubts about _him_."

"I meant we can trust her in her choice of people to hang out with. She has judgment."

"I'll drive her, I want to see this guy."

"Alex, I drove all the way here, let me at least give her a ride there!"

"It's my night with them, Cristina!"

"Alex, please, let her enjoy her first date. You can go pick her up. You'll bring her back here and tomorrow, I don't know, why don't you let the kids stay home from school and spend some more time with them?"

"Fine." he gave up. He knew that if Cristina got to the point of suggesting that their children skipped school, she must really want to drive Sarah to her date.

A few minutes later, Sarah and Zoe walked back in the room.

"You look beautiful." Rebecca offered her a smile.

"Thanks. Can we go now?"

"Be careful. And call me if you need anything." Alex kissed Sarah on her forehead. "I'll come pick you up at eleven."

"Eleven thirty?" the girl pleaded.

"We'll see, I'll let you know. Have fun, baby girl."

Cristina rolled her eyes as she opened the door. "Good night."

"Bye. Night, twins!"

Alex watched her close the door, then he sat back on the coach between Kirsten and Lachlan. He stroked Kirsten's blondish hair, absentmindedly. "Don't grow up too fast."

Isaiah looked at Zoe, approaching her quietly. "I know Jenna's _sister_. They don't have a brother." he told her in a whisper.

_**x**_

Sarah looked around, the checked the rime again. It was 9:07 and the place was desert.

"Hey there, gorgeous!"

She turned around in agitation, and gave a clumsy smile to the boy in front of her. He had ebony skin, curly black hair, an hint of beard. He was tall, thin, and he had a golden ear piercing.

"Hi, I'm Sarah." she said.

"Hello. Well, how about we go to a pub?"

"Oh, but I don't have a fake ID."

He raised his eyebrow. "The park then? We can walk around."

"Okay." she smiled again, and squeezed his hand when he took hers. "But really, who gave you my number?"

Austin laughed. "I have this friend who's in most of your classes. But he asked me not to reveal his identity so..." he blinked, and Sarah blushed. "So tell me about you."

"Oh... well, I have a brother and a sister. And... uhm, my parents are surgeons."

"Cool. They must earn a lot."

"Pretty much." she nodded. "It's a nice place. I've never been here."

"There's a bench over there under the willow. There's also a little pond. Let's go."

They sat on the bench, and Austin put his arm around her shoulders.

"Where do you go to school?"

"I don't go to school, babe." Austin laughed slightly. "My father wanted me to go to college but I refused. Not my thing. So now I live with a couple of other guys in a ridiculously small apartment but at least I'm out of my parents' house."

"How old are you exactly?"

"I'm nineteen and a half. Why, is that a problem?"

"No, of course not!" Sarah hurried to say. Well, it wasn't a problem for her, but her father couldn't know. "And, do you have a job?"

"Yeah..." Austin let the word fade, and he leaned in, reducing the distance between Sarah's face and his. He kissed her, slowly, and Sarah thought that his lips were smooth, warm and soft. The girl closed her eyes and instinctively moved her hands up to wrap them around the boy's neck. "You're a good kisser." he said, before placing his lips back on hers. That time, he slowly parted them with his tongue, and Sarah felt a shiver along her backbone.

Austin rested his hand on her thigh, then he moved it slowly until he reached the hem of her dress. "Mmm, and you're so hot and warm. You're sexy, Sarah."

Sarah smiled through the kiss, moving her lips to his neck like she had seen in all those romantic movies that she always watched with Zoe, Sofia and Zola.

Austin kept caressing her thigh, reaching her panties. Sarah panicked for a moment. What was he doing? Did he want to... _now_?

She pulled back slightly, looking into Austin's hazel eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah... yeah. Sure."

"Does it feel good, when I touch you there?"

Sarah started to feel very warm and good. "Yes." she closed her eyes again.

"Then you'll love this too." he pushed aside her panties and caressed her.

The teenager winced when she felt the boy's finger inside of her. She inhaled air sharply.

"Relax, sugar."

She did as he told her, and after a while it stopped hurting but she actually found herself enjoying it. She let out a moan, and allowed him to capture her lips again. She had never felt that way.

Austin pulled back after a few minutes. "What about you do something for me now?"

"O-okay."

He smiled, pulling down his jeans zipper. Sarah was starting to get nervous again, but she pushed bad thoughts away. There was nothing wrong in what she was doing, and it would end perfectly if Austin didn't understand that she had never done it before. Slowly, she leaned in until her lips were on his member.

Austin immediately seemed to enjoy it, letting out a pleased moan and touching her hair and her back with his hot hands.

_**x**_

The car ride with Alex was terrible. He kept asking question, and all Sarah wanted was to escape to her bedroom so that she could smile in peace and think about her night. She also hoped Zoe was still up, because she was dying to tell her everything. So, after Alex awkwardly kissed her on her forehead and said good night, she finally went into her small sanctuary. Zoe was sleeping, so she quietly dropped her bag and kicked away her very painful shoes, before laying on the bed.

She heard a muffled beep and looked around for her phone. As she hoped, it was Austin.

-Gnite sugar-

-Night to you too- she answered with a satisfied smile. It probably was the best night of her life.

She looked up when she heard the door opening. "Iz? What are you doing here?"

"What did you do?"

"Nothing. Just, we went to the park."

"Look," he sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his sister. "I know Piper, Jenna's younger sister. And they don't have a brother. So I don't know why you lied, and I won't tell, but are you okay?"

Sarah's smile faded. "I'm feeling pretty amazing right now. You have nothing to worry about. And I can assure you that you won't see another day if you ever tell Mom or Dad."

"I won't! But I told Zoe."

Sarah punched him on his arm.

"Ouch!"

"Shh!"

"Sarah? Are you back? I'm sorry, I didn't want to fall asleep but I guess I did." Zoe sat up in the dark room. She rubbed her eyes. "So, why did you say it was Jenna's brother? Who's this Austin?"

"Just a guy I met! Stop annoying me. I had an awesome night and you two are not going to ruin it with your stupid questions!" she hissed.

"Fine, fine. But if I find out something's not right _I will_ tell our parents."

"So suddenly you're acting like an over-protective brother? I liked you more before."

"Sarah, you need to tell me everything! The littlest details. As soon as Isaiah leaves, of course."


	4. The Truth Hurts

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 4/?**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca (Kirsten and Lachlan), Derek-Meredith (Zola and Logan), Callie-Arizona (Sofia), Mark-Lexie (Dawson), Jackson-April (Toby and Max)**

**A/N: I know there's not much Alex/Cristina, but I promise you'll like what I'm planning. Oh, and little time jump of a few months. Enjoy!**

**A/N2: This chapter was ready almost a week ago, but I got and I didn't have the strength to type it all on the computer.**

"I have something for you, babe." Austin pulled Sarah on his lap on their bench, and she settled in his arms that contrasted with the cold wind.

She was supposed to be at school, but Austin couldn't meet her that afternoon so they decided to anticipate. To Alex and Isaiah's displeasure, the two of them hang out almost everyday, and Sarah was really starting to fall for Austin.

"What is it?"

The boy stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small card. "It's a fake ID, babe. I had it done for ya. Now we can go clubbing together."

"Thanks." she took it. "Wow, I look good in this picture. I can't wait to go." she gave him a kiss. "As long as you don't look at other girls, though."

"Of course not." Austin kissed her again, more passionately. Soon his hands reached Sarah's lower parts, and she stopped feeling the wind or hearing the noises of the cars.

"What about tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Tomorrow night's perfect."

_**x**_

Wobbling, Sarah made her way to the bathroom and threw up violently.

Her head was throbbing, her heart was racing, she felt bleary. She had never been drunk before.

It wasn't how she imagined her first time to be. Drunk, in a dirty bathroom as someone barfed next to them, standing up. The less romantic things she had ever imagined. At the moment she thought it hurt like hell, but now she didn't remember the pain. At least she could remember the whole thing, though it was quite dull and part of her wanted to forget it. The only good thing was that she felt more connected to Austin now. And she liked the feeling.

Wishing that her head would stop spinning, she slowly stood up. She still felt nauseous, but she could barely keep her eyes open and she didn't want to spend the night on the bathroom floor. Luckily, her mother was still at the hospital and her siblings were asleep. It was late, after all.

Sarah let herself fall on the bed, and she drift off immediately.

_**x**_

"When are you introducing Austin to us?" Cristina asked her daughter as they were having lunch the next day.

"I don't know. Soon I guess." Sarah said, ignoring her headache.

"Are you in love with him?"

"Mom! Come one, what's with all the questions?"

"You don't tell me anything anymore!" Cristina stated.

Sarah shrugged. "I'm good. Austin's a really great guy and together we're great."

"Well, I hope you at least tell you sister more than this."

"She does." Zoe giggled, causing Sarah to roll her eyes.

"Why couldn't Dad have us this weekend, again?"

"Some damn conference he couldn't miss."

Cristina glared at Isaiah. "He didn't want to go. Anyway, I have a few days off so tonight we could go out to dinner and rent some movies."

"I'm busy tonight." Zoe said warily.

"And I have to meet Austin. After dinner though."

"Again?" Isaiah groaned.

"Yes, again! What's your problem?"

"My problem is that my sister is dating some fucking druggie dude."

"He's never taken drugs!" Sarah screeched. "And how the hell would you know anything about him? You've never even seen him!"

"Stop!" Cristina ordered loudly. "Is it true, Sarah?"

"No! Mom! I wouldn't stay with him!" well, maybe she had a few doubts, but she had never actually seen Austin taking anything.

"I really hope so, Sarah Karev."

The teenager repressed the impulse of rolling her eyes and turned to her brother instead. "Well? Why are you making assumptions about my boyfriend when you don't know him?"

"I followed you! I wanted to know why you lied about him." Isaiah didn't care anymore about his promise not to tell. Each time he had followed his sister and her boyfriend he saw them in desert places, half-naked. They barely talked, and he always touched Sarah everywhere. Another boy would have taken her to the movies or stuff like that, not hidden her in a park to do dirty things. Not every single day, at least. He was sure Sarah was only going to get hurt. "And all I had to do was look at him, and I _knew_ he wasn't for you. I bet he only wants sex, and stuff. Does he take you to the movies? Or out to dinner? What he does is making you skip school and giving you a fake ID."

"You're one to talk, weren't you smoking on the balcony the other night? You got suspended from school twice this year, so great example, Isaiah, really."

"Enough!" Cristina shouted. "Who is this guy, Sarah? What did you lie about?"

"He's not Jenna's brother. In fact, she doesn't have a brother at all."

"I-"

"Sarah. The truth, now."

"Someone gave him my number and he texted me."

"_Someone?_" her mother repeated. Glancing at her guiltily, Sarah noticed how much her face was marked by anger and disappointment, and she lowered her eyes.

"You're stupid."

"Isaiah!" Zoe exclaimed.

"Isaiah, stop. This is between me and your sister. So what you're telling me, Sarah, is that you went out with that boy without knowing anything him? His name, his age, how he got your phone number?"

"Getting to know each other is the purpose of dating! Like – like some sort of blind date!"

"And what do you know now?"

"I know stuff about him! His name is Austin and he's, he's nineteen, and he doesn't go to school, he works."

"You've been together for almost three months, don't you know anything else about him?"

"What, do you want me to write a book about Austin's life? I didn't tell him much about myself either!"

"And what do you do when you're together? What do you talk about?"

Sarah shrugged. She really didn't want to talk about it with her mom. Damn Isaiah. "We just hang out, Mom! We talk about... stuff."

Cristina sighed, looking at her daughter. She didn't like what she was about to do, but she felt like she had no choice. "I think you should end it."

Sarah felt her eyes water. "What do you mean?"

"Honey, I'm not telling you this to punish you or to make you angry. But honestly, right now I don't know what to think anymore. I thought Austin was someone I didn't have to worry about, a good guy, and now you're telling me he picked you up after God-knows-who gave him your number and probably even showed you a picture of you. Your brother is saying he takes drugs."

"And I said he doesn't! Why do you believe Isaiah? He's inventing it."

"Well, I can't know that, Sarah! I don't know anything about him, and you barely do yourself! If you want to keep seeing him, I want to meet him first. Clear?" she tried to take Sarah's hand in hers, a simple gesture to make peace, set a truce, but the teen girl pulled away and quickly escaped to her room.

"I'll talk to her." Zoe offered, throwing an angry glance at Isaiah.

"I don't take it back! He's not boyfriend material." he called after her.

"Iz, I'm going to the other room for a minute." Cristina told her son. "Thank your for telling me. You shouldn't feel guilty, if he's not right for Sarah then she won't date him."

Once alone, Cristina hesitantly took her cellphone. After dialing Alex's number, she sat on the couch. She wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, but she needed another opinion.

"Hello?"

"Hey." she sighed.

"Cristina?"

"It's me. It's about Sarah. You know how she said Austin was her friend's brother? It was a lie."

"What?" jealousy immediately took over Alex. "She's not seeing him anymore!" he announced angrily.

"That's what I told her. I told her that if she wants to keep dating him I have to meet him first."

"_We._" Alex pointed out.

"Fine, we." if she could, she would admit how much she missed him and needed him home. She'd say Rebecca wasn't right for him and to come back, because they should have been his priority.

"And who is he, then?"

"I don't know, Alex. She didn't say much. But I actually think she doesn't really know many things about Austin."

"I _knew_ I didn't like him."

"Alex..."

"I want to talk to Sarah. Get her to the phone, please?"

"Sure."

When she opened the door of her daughter's room, she saw her two girls on the bed. From the doorway, she handed out the phone. "Your dad wants to talk to you."

Sarah jumped up furiously. "You told him? _How could you_? I hate you!" sobbing, she slammed the door and locked it, not giving her mother a chance to answer.

Zoe sat on the floor beside her. "Sarah, don't cry. It's nothing. As I told you, you can still see Austin. Stay home tonight, apologize to Mom, tell Isaiah he was right so he won't bother you anymore and then start lying. I know I look like the perfect good girl and it's crazy that I suggested it, but you're not me so... it will work. You say you're going to the library to study, or to the mall with Jenna. No. Don't use Jenna. But, instead, you'll be meeting with Austin. Or, you know, you could just invite him over for dinner sometime and they'll let you-"

"They won't. I know they won't." Sarah wiped away her tears. "I'll kill you if Mom heard us through the door." she whispered. She had no choice than to follow Zoe's suggestion, though. Alex wouldn't like Austin even if he was the most perfect boy, but she knew her mother wouldn't approve either. The little hints she sometimes dropped in conversations about Austin applying to college or Austin playing in the school band, they were all false. Austin liked _her_, he liked her soft lips, her curves, her hands on his body. He liked going to big parties, and drinking until he forgot who he was, and while she was at school he didn't have anything to do so he wanted her with him. It didn't bother her, though, because when she was with Austin she felt accepted and light and loved, and being with him always brought a smile on her face. And it was cool that he was kind of a bad boy, it made him look even hotter.


	5. Sneaking Out And Lying

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 5/?**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca (Kirsten and Lachlan), Derek-Meredith (Zola and Logan), Callie-Arizona (Sofia), Mark-Lexie (Dawson), Jackson-April (Toby and Max)**

Cristina sipped her coffee as she read through a new medical journal.

"Sorry I'm late." Alex cleared his throat and sat down in front of his ex-wife.

Cristina kept drinking her coffee to stop herself from letting out some rude comment about Rebecca. "Don't worry." she said a few moments later, when the wave of jealousy passed.

"So. Sarah." Alex went straight to the point.

"Sarah is upset. She's mad at us. Mostly me, because I told you everything."

"I'm her father!" Alex argued.

"I know, Alex, that's why I phoned you straightaway!"

"Good." he nodded. "How long is she grounded for?"

Cristina raised an eyebrow. "She isn't."

"What-"

"Alex. I told her that if she wants to keep dating Austin we have to meet him. She turned down the offer, which worries me. But the result is that she's not seeing him. He was her first boyfriend, it's a big deal to her. I don't want to make it bigger by grounding her; she's Sarah, Alex, she's not doing anything illegal nor morally wrong."

"Fine. Well, I was thinking that maybe we should google him. Or maybe look through-"

"You're not about to say 'look through her stuff'. I know you're not." Cristina warned him in a stern tone. "Look, I'm going to try and ask Zoe if she knows something, but I'll doubt she'll tell me because-"

"Zoe would never lie to us."

"Zoe's loyal to her sister, Alex. They're really close."

"_I know_."

"_Good_." Cristina drank some coffee.

"Next Saturday I'll take the twins to the amusement park they've just opened. Can you ask the kids if they want to come as well?"

"It's Sofia's birthday, I think they won't want to miss her party."

"Right." Alex nodded. "Right, I forgot. Well, but we're going in the afternoon."

"I'll ask, Alex."

He nodded again, not knowing what to say next.

"Oh, and, uhm, how's Isaiah? Still giving you a hard time? Last weekend he locked himself up in his room and I, I just didn't know what to say to him. Sarah and Zoe weren't that difficult at fourteen."

"I haven't caught him smoking or coming home drunk. But something's going on, and I don't know what to do." she sighed heavily. Part of her knew that her son's behavior came from having divorced parents.

"Ground him, Cristina."

"You do it, Alex! God, is it your solution for everything? If I don't know what's _truly_ going on, how am I supposed to do something!"

"Calm down, dammit!" he hissed.

Cristina stood up, throwing some money on the table. "You're a great dad, Alex, but you can't let me deal with the bad things and play the nice guy during the weekends. If you think _our_ children need to be punished, then act on it." and with that, she left.

_**x**_

"Where's Sarah?" Sofia asked as she put on the blue dress her Mami had bought her for the occasion.

"She'll come later with Austin." Zoe answered her as she shoved some chips in her mouth. "Is it okay if Austin comes?"

"I guess." Sofia shrugged. "But it's my sixteenth birthday party, and if he ruins it I'll kill both him and Sarah."

"Don't worry." Zoe laughed.

"So we'll finally get to know this way-too-mysterious Austin, huh?" Zola commented, jumping on Sofia's bed and laying beside Zoe.

"She said she'd come with him." Zoe nodded. "But girls, are you sure none of your parents will be here? Sarah's not supposed to see Austin."

"My parents promised. _All three of them_." Sofia turned to face the mirror. "How do I look?"

"Stunning. You'll totally conquer Toby's heart."

"I don't have a crush on Toby." she bit her lip.

Zoe giggled. "You so do. I bet you to kiss him tonight."

"What? No! No way, Zo, what if he pulls away? I won't ever be able to look at him again. Or Jackson and April, and Max too."

"Chill out, he won't pull away. Come on though, we should get ready too, Zo."

Just as they were about to go downstairs, Sarah burst into Sofia's bedroom.

"Looklooklooklooklook! He gave me a locket!"

The other girls approached her to look at the pendant.

"It's so beautiful!" Zola gasped.

"I know, right?" Sarah's eyes were shining of happiness. "Oh man, I love him so much!"

Zoe stared at her sister and didn't say anything. She didn't think her feelings for that guy were so strong.

"And where is he?" Sofia asked.

"In the basement with the other boys. I really hope Isaiah doesn't do anything stupid." she sighed. "Okay, I'm gonna change very quickly and then we can go join them."

"Why don't you just let your parents meet him?"

Sarah looked at Zola. "Imagine you meet a boy. And you know your father will be annoying and jealous, but your mom will do what she can to support you. Then, imagine that he's not the kind of guy they would want you to date, because he smokes, sometimes not only cigarettes, and because he takes you to clubs with a fake ID, and because he never graduated and his job isn't really recommendable; so you start lying and say what your parents would want to hear. And of course, you know that if they were to meet him, they'd instantly know it wasn't true." she stopped for a few seconds. "That's why."

Her friends and sister watched her speechlessly as she took off her leggings and long t-shirt to wear her violet dress.

"But Sarah!" Zoe exclaimed. "You've never told me any of this! Isaiah was right, it's stupid!"

The teenager raised her head abruptly. "Maybe!" she yelled. "But then you have to imagine you love him so damn much!"

"_Fine_. You know what, I'm going downstairs to meet him, and you better hope I like him at least a bit."

When she was out of view, Sarah collapsed on Sofia's bed.

"It's just that Zoe doesn't like lies."

"She's the one who told me to meet him in secret."

"Come one, fix your make-up so we can go." Zola tried to pull her up.

Sarah sighed sadly. "Okay, I'm coming."

_**x**_

A few hours later, Sarah was wildly dancing with her boyfriend. The room was hot, the music was loud, and Sarah giggled when she realized she was a little tipsy. She accidentally stepped on Austin's foot, and he pulled her closer in response. He moved his lips along her neck, and Sarah moaned. She let her cardigan slide to the floor. Wrapping her arms around Austin's neck, she allowed him to pick her up.

"Can we go somewhere private?" he asked her as he massaged his behind.

"Mmhm." putting her feet down, she took Austin's hand and led him up the stairs. She glanced at Sofia's bedroom, but she had a single bed so she went forward. Callie and Arizona's room looked perfect, and Sarah locked the door quickly. Austin immediately pushed her on the bed, and for a moment the girl felt her head spin. She reached for the zipper of Austin's jeans, eager to see him naked. Her violet dress quickly joined the boy's clothes. Sarah's breath quickly became irregular as Austin ran his big hands up and down her body. He squeezed her breasts, sucked on her neck, bit her lips. Sarah stretched her fingers to touch Austin's member, feeling it hard, huge, against her body. Austin moaned onto her lips, and instinctively Sarah pulled him closer, enjoying his heaviness that pressed her against the mattress.

The pleasure grew as he entered her, fast, hard, at the right moment, and Sarah dug her nails in his tonic, black shoulders as she started to shake with a loud sound of please.

_**x**_

A knock on the door. Sarah kept her eyes closed, wishing to go back to sleep. She shivered. _Bang! _She realized she was naked, and slowly the memories came back. Was Austin still with her?

"Sarah, are you in there?" a punch on the door.

"Yeah!" she called out. "Austin? You need to wake up." she kissed him on his head, softly, with a smile.

"You need to get Austin out and not look like you just had sex. _Now_."

"What happened, Isaiah? What time is it?" she started to pick up her clothes.

"Nothing happened, but Arizona and Callie are gonna be here at any minute now. It's almost four, and everybody left already. They're not gonna leave Sofia alone all night. Get Austin out!"

She looked her her boyfriend helpfully. He was sitting on the bad, disappointed. "I'm sorry, babe." she pecked his lips. "I'll make it up for you tomorrow, I promise. I love you."

With a grunt, Austin grabbed his things and left.

_**x**_

"I thought you had the weekend off?" Cristina asked Alex in surprise when he joined her in the cafeteria with a cup of hot coffee. It was early, barely morning, and they were the only ones in the room. The other doctors were either working, sleeping or at home.

"I was called in around midnight for an emergency. The kid is stable now, but I need to monitor him for a few more hours to make sure he's really off the hook."

Cristina nodded. One more day to their anniversary. Cristina didn't really keep track of how many years they would have been married for, but she never forgot the day.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Oh, sure! Sorry. I'm tired, I've worked a lot this days. Every time I manage to get home there's some kind of emergency..."

Alex shrugged. "We signed for it when we decided to be surgeons. Well, I think I'll go sleep for a while now, before checking on Jason. You should too."

"Alex, wait." Cristina wrapped her fingers around his wrist to stop him.

"Yes?"

She swallowed. "Uh, nothing. Nothing, really." she lowered her eyes, embarrassed. "Go."

As he walked away looking at her weirdly, Cristina felt sick thinking of how close she had been to kiss him.


	6. Siblings Alliance

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 6/?**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca**

**A/N: suggest a boyfriend for Zoe! Like – his name, his age, how they meet. The best idea will be part of the story in the next chapters!**

"Are you sure?" Sarah stared at Austin's motorbike with wide eyes.

Austin laughed. "Positive, babe! It's easy, I promise. You'll learn how to control it in no time. It's natural."

"What if I crash?"

"You won't crash, beautiful, I promise."

"Okay." Sarah inhaled a big breath of air before getting on the motorcycle.

"That's the clutch, and that's the brake. You need to-"

"Austin? Just get up here with me. Let's ride it together."

"Okay."

He put his hands on hers, and started the engine. Sarah felt a wave of adrenalin. "Austin, I'm scared."

"No need to be, babe. I'll show you what you have to do."

The motorcycle moved, and Sarah held back a small scream. Austin helped her control the bike, and after a while the girl relaxed in his arms and started to enjoy the whistling of the wind in her ears.

When Austin stopped, Sarah got down with a crystal laughter and sat on the grass, waiting for her boyfriend to join her. "I can't believe I just drove a bike."

Austin kissed her softly, and soon Sarah lay down. Their hands started to move frantically, eager to take off one another's clothes.

"Mh, I love you." Sarah said, her eyes closed in pleasure.

"Love ya too, sexy."

_**x**_

Isaiah entered the apartment and slammed the door shut.

"Isaiah, if I have to put all kind of lockers on the front door, I will." Cristina glared at her son, sternly. "I'm _sick_ of you going out without saying where you go and when you'll be back, when I'm sure you're doing things I don't approve of."

"I went to get ice-cream!" Isaiah weakly protested.

His mother raised her eyebrows. "Isaiah-"

"Is Zoe home?"

"She's studying. Something you should learn to do before I _really_ lose my patience."

"Ya, I will."

"You sure will. Your father is getting tired of your behavior as well. So things are changing. Soon. Clear?"

"Crystal, mother." he answered sarcastically. "I really need to talk to Zoe now." he quickly disappeared in the corridor, in direction of his sister's bedroom.

As his mother had said, she was studying. He sat on her bed.

"Guess who I saw today at the ice-cream parlor?"

"Who?"

"_Guess!_"

"I'm kind of busy, you know!"

"Fine. Well, I saw Austin. With a girl. Not Sarah."

Zoe frowned. "Nice joke. I almost believed it."

"It's true. She was a tiny brunette with big boobs-"

"Isaiah!"

"I'm not making it up."

"Yes you are. Leave me alone."

"Where's Sarah?"

"With him, I suppose. Where else?"

"She's not with him." Isaiah said. "Where did she say she was going?"

"To softball practice. But that's what she told _Mom_. I don't think she plays anymore."

"I'm calling her." he announced.

Zoe turned around quickly. "No!"

"Zoe, I saw him! Maybe Sarah was with him only for a while and then she actually went to her softball practice. I don't like Austin, and I don't want our sister to get hurt. If he's sleeping around-"

"_Fine_." Zoe hissed. "I'll ask Sarah where she was as soon as she comes home. But no words about what you saw. We're following Austin. Spying on him. Without getting caught, possibly." she turned back to her books. "I need to study history of art. See you later."

Isaiah walked out and stopped in front of his room. "_Mom_! Where is my computer? And my _door_!"

_**x**_

Alex dropped Sarah off at her condo. After meeting with Austin, since he told her he had to go to work, she went to her father's apartment. She played with her siblings and even had a decent conversation with Rebecca. But now she was more than ready to go back home.

"Why don't you want us to meet Austin?" Alex asked her out of the blue right before she got off of the car.

Sarah sighed. "Dad."

"Come on, I wanna know. You looked so into him and now you'd rather not see him than introduce him to your mom and dad!" he insisted.

"He wasn't that important to me." she opened the car door. "Isaiah was right, he wasn't right for me. Thank you for the ride home, Dad. I'll see you on Friday."

"Wait, Sarah..."

But she was already gone.

_**x**_

A few days later, Isaiah entered Zoe's bedroom and sat on her swivel chair. His sister was staring at her wardrobe in search of something to wear.

"Sarah told Mom she'll be going straight to Dad's house later after school. Since she's the one with the car, we'll have to go with her, _unless_ we find an excuse to go there later and we go look for Austin."

"I doubt Sarah will really go at Dad's."

"I heard Mom telling him. She has to, now. She'll probably skip school to be with him in he morning."

"I don't like Austin." Zoe wrinkled her nose. "He makes her lie."

"And you hate lies, perfect Mommy&Daddy's girl."

Zoe glared at her brother. "You're grounded." she reminded him. "You have to go straight to Dad's apartment."

"I'll come up with something! Or you go alone. He'll let you."

"I don't want to go alone!"

"Wanna unmask Austin or not? Plus, you'll get to be late for Rebecca's birthday party."

Zoe mumbled something that Isaiah didn't hear. He smirked.

_**x**_

"Sarah? Are you okay?" Rebecca knocked repeatedly on the bathroom door.

It was Sunday morning; breakfast was almost ready and strangely Alex and Isaiah hadn't fought yet. But she noticed there was something wrong with her oldest stepdaughter.

"Yeah." the girl answered weakly, staring at her silent phone. She stood up, blew her nose and unlocked the door.

Sarah had red eyes from crying. She walked past Rebecca and closed herself in her and Zoe's room. She sat on the bed and rested her chin on her knees, letting more tears fall.

Austin had broken up with her the night before, and she didn't understand why.

"Hey sis." Zoe knocked softly. "What happened? Rebecca said you were crying."

Sarah opened the door to let her in.

"Austin broke up with me." she sobbed.

Zoe froze. She _had_ followed Austin two days earlier, but he was alone. She was starting to think that he wasn't that bad. "Why? What did he say?" she hugged Sarah tight.

"I don't know! He said it's how it works, people go out together and then they part when they get tired. He got tired of me!"

Zoe kept rubbing her sister's back, unable to find something helpful to say.

"And you know what's the worst part? That he told me right after we had sex! And after all the times we had sex, he just dumped me!"

"I suggest that you lower your voice and close the door. Your father's at earshot." Rebecca stepped in and closed the door quietly. She stared at Sarah, her arms folded. "I thought you weren't supposed to see that boy."

"Shut up!"

"Don't use that tone of voice with me." her stepmother scolded her calmly. "My lips are sealed. I'm not the enemy, I won't say anything, I just wanna make sure that you're okay. Do you need something? I can bring you something to eat, or a cup of tea." Sarah shook her head, and Rebecca hesitated before talking again. "You said you had sex. I'm guessing I'm the only adult who knows, and just, if you want to know something I'm here, or if you need the prescription for the pill I can take you to get it."

"It's over. There's nothing to talk about. I won't need the pill anymore."


	7. A Family Day

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 7/? - A Family Day**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca**

"Something's going on with Sarah." Cristina collapsed on the chair on Alex's left in the cafeteria.

"I know." he took a bite of his sandwich as Cristina started to eat her salad.

"What do you know?"

"Nothing. Just that she came home sooner than I thought on Saturday night after meeting with her softball friends, and she spent the next day lying on the couch half-depressed."

"She's been that way all week. She refused to go to school for two days, but I made her go this morning."

"Do you think that – no, I refuse to think that she would _lie_ like _that_... but do you think she kept seeing Austin behind our back and that it ended badly?"

"I don't know. She doesn't want to tell me anything. She used to share everything with me."

Alex frowned. "She won't _ever_ tell me. Do you remember when she was little? She always wanted to play with me, come to work with me, help me cook... after the divorce I wasn't her hero anymore. I let her down."

"_We_ let all three of them down."

"Sometimes I feel like Rebecca got between me and my children."

"Rebecca got between me and you first."

"I never cheated on you, Cris."

"No. But a part of your heart was Izzie's and another one was Ava's, and at the time my part of your heart was smaller than _hers_."

Alex remained silent and Cristina reached out to touch his hand. "Sarah, Zoe and Isaiah love you. The teen years are always the hardest ones. No matter what."

He nodded, sighing slightly."What should we do?"

"About Sarah? Letting her know we love her and are here for her, but without being suffocating. Questions will only annoy her and make her pull away; we could suggest to do something together." she hesitated. "The five of us."

Cristina saw Alex's eyes light up. "Sure! Maybe... Green Lake Park? I think the last time we went was short after Zoe's birth, and there are so many things to do."

"Deal."

As she spoke, both of their pagers went off. They groaned simultaneously. It was the ER.

A smile crept on Cristina's mouth as she followed Alex through the hospital. Even if he only agreed to a day together, it would still feel like they were a family.

_**x**_

_-Sarah called from school, she's not feeling well. Don't worry, I have the day off, you can pick her up when you knock off work-_

Alex hit 'send' and glanced at Sarah. "What are you feeling exactly? Headache? Nausea? Something else?"

The teenager shrugged, her brown eyes steadfast on her hands. "I'm not feeling good, that's it."

Alex sighed. He pulled over and unbuckled his seat belt .

"Dad, what are you doing?"

"Offering you a milkshake!"

After they ordered their milkshake, Alex led Sarah to a small table in a corner. "So... what did he do?"

Sarah winced. "Who? What are you talking about?"

"About Austin. I'm not stupid." he shrugged and sipped his milkshake. "I don't want details, just... I know he hurt you, but how? How bad?"

"Did Isaiah tell you?"

"No." Alex shook his head and gave his daughter a small smile. "Come on."

"Nothing." Sarah felt her eyes were starting to become watery. "He just dumped me."

Alex leaned on the back of the chair.

"Do you want-"

"No, thanks."

"You don't know what-"

"I do. I don't wanna talk about it and I especially don't want you to do something."

"Okay." he looked at her, trying to understand when and how his little princess had grown up. "So, what about the Space Needle?"

_**x**_

Three days later, Alex stopped his car in front of Cristina's building to pick her and their children up. The car ride wasn't silent, but slightly awkward, and they were all happy when they reached the destination.

Cristina looked around pleased. She had always liked that park. It was one of the first places she went to when she first moved to Seattle.

"There's this amazing place over there." she said to her kids. "You need to see it!"

Alex smiled. She had taken him there too, on one of their first 'real' dates, and they had hot chocolate as they enjoyed the sunset from the window.

"I like it here." Zoe said.

Cristina smiled at her. "It's lovely, isn't it? I've always liked coming here."

Sarah heard her father add something, probably to tease her mom, but she wasn't listening. She was staring at her phone. She had been trying to reach Austin for days, hoping to make him change his mind, but he wouldn't answer. Suddenly someone took the cellphone from her hand. "Family time!" Cristina grinned.

Sarah sighed. It was going to be a very long day.

"I'm hungry, let's go over there on the lake's shore to eat." Alex suggested.

"This lake is huge."

"We could walk around it, later. I did it running, once."

Zoe looked at her mother with wide eyes. "_Are you kidding me?_"

Cristina looked down at her daughter's feet. "Yeah, with the shoes you're wearing I don't blame you for looking at me like that."

Zoe rolled her eyes. "What did you bring to eat?"

"We have sandwiches, fruit, cookies, brownies, pasta salad and stracchino with bread."

"And I brought home-made pizza and doughnuts." Alex added.

"Did Rebecca cook the pizza?" Sarah asked with a slight note of acidity.

Alex glared at her. "I did. But I don't really see the problem, Sarah Aliyah." two days earlier, Sarah had phoned Alex, but Rebecca was the one who answered, and Sarah, in a moment of frustration had hung up the phone. Her father got quite angry when he was told what happened.

"Alex, please. Not now. Not today." Cristina cut in softly. She really wanted to spend a peaceful day with her family, without fights.

Isaiah shrugged at the scene and started to set the things on the lawn. "Shall we eat, folks?"

Cristina nodded firmly, and sat down to help Isaiah. Soon they started to eat and the conversation took a normal direction again.

Sarah did her best to look smiley and cheerful. She knew it was hard for her parents to be together, especially for her father who was now used to be with his new wife. But she appreciated the effort they were making to be close to her. She was also – kind of – relieved that Alex knew she had kept meeting Austin, because she felt lighter without the secret. Zoe and Isaiah were the best though. They tried to distract her and keep her from thinking about the end of her first relationship, and although she hadn't be very cooperative nor pleasant to be with they weren't giving up.

"There are people playing soccer, can I go?" Isaiah asked after lunch.

Cristina looked up to identify the people her son was talking about, then she nodded. "Sure."

As Isaiah stood up, Alex turned to look at his ex-wife. "It's going pretty well, don't you think?"

She nodded again. "Yeah, very relaxing and enjoyable." she lay down again, moving imperceptibly closer to him. Alex stared at her. He shook his head, taken by surprise by his own thought. He turned on his side and started to type a text message to send to Rebecca.

Over the brownies they were eating, Zoe and Sarah glanced at each other, their eyes shining with a new hope. They hadn't miss his look.


	8. Girl Meets Good Boy

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 8/? - Girl Meets (Good) Boy**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca**

**A/N: Here's a new chapter! To write Eric I took inspiration by a boy who actually stopped me at the bus stop... and, for his name, I used the one of a character of Life As We Know it, the movie with Katherine Heigl. I love the name, the character and the actor! One more thing: would you like me to write about other characters as well? I'm staying focused on Sarah, Zoe and Isaiah because they are the main characters, and in a while you'll see the start of the real Alex/Cristina, I promise, but if you want me to include Meredith, Jackson, Mark etc, I will. Oh, and I love the next chapter. And the next next one. And the next next next one. Exciting stuff is coming up!**

Zoe was waiting for her aunt to pick her up. Since Sarah had stayed home pretending to be sick and both of her parents were at work, she was supposed to take the bus, but she had missed it _by__just__two__minutes!_ Luckily, her father's sister was in town, so the girl was waiting for her to get at her school.

Sighing, Zoe sat on a bench. She had a lot of homework to do, and it was getting late. Amber _couldn't_ be on time.

Suddenly, just as she was about to turn on her i-pod, she felt someone move close to her. "Hello." a boy said, giving her a big smile.

"Hi." Zoe answered. It had been a while since a guy had approached her to talk. She hadn't had any serious relationship, but boys seemed to adore her and she usually didn't turn down flirting or a couple of innocent kisses.

"I was wondering if I could have your number. Not a fake one, please. If you don't want to, just say no."

Zoe let out a laughter. "Well, it depends on _why_ you want my number."

"Oh, that's simple. I've just moved here from Canada and I would like someone to show me Seattle. I thought you could be the right person."

"I bet." Zoe rolled her eyes. "So that's why I couldn't place your accent; you're Canadian, I've never met anyone from Canada and I've never been there."

"You're very lucky, because I am a great example of the typical Canadian guy."

They both laughed.

"By the way, my name is Eric Messer, but I usually go by Messer."

"_Messer?_"

"Yes. I like it more than Eric, it's cool."

"I'm Zoe." she shook his hand with a playful smile. "And my aunt just got here. I have to go. 12257909951. I hope you have a good memory, _Eric_."

"Zo! Who was that? Did he just ask you out?" Amber Karev started to fire questions at her niece. "Wait! Where's your brother? I thought he would be here too."

Zoe relaxed against the back of the car seat. "I don't know. But let's make this moment about me; do you wanna know about cute boy or not?"

Amber grinned. "You are so much like me."

"I'm really not, but whatever."

_**x**_

When Zoe entered her apartment followed by Amber, she was surprised to see her maternal grandparents in the living room. "Grandma, Grandpa! What are you doing here?" the fifteen-year-old asked as she hugged them.

"We wanted to see you all so badly." Helen kissed her granddaughter's forehead.

Saul nodded towards Amber. "Hello, Amber."

"Good afternoon. Is anybody home?"

Helen nodded. "Sarah, but she's sick, she said she was going to sleep."

"You didn't tell me Sarah was sick, Zo."

"She's _love_sick. And she doesn't want to talk to anybody, not even me or Mom."

"Speaking of your mom, she said she'll buy some pizzas on her way home, and Meredith and Derek are coming here for dinner with their son and daughter."

"Good." Zoe nodded. "Are you staying as well, Amber? Please."

"I told your dad I would have dinner with them... but I can cancel." she winked.

"Thank you! Now, I'm gonna go say hi to my sister and then start my homework... Amber? Can you get my brainless brother to come home before Mom arrives?"

_**x**_

Zoe was in Sarah's bedroom. She wanted to be with her sister, but she was refusing to be sociable so Zoe had brought her school books there to keep Sarah company as she studied.

A few hours later her cellphone started to ring. "Hello?"

"I _do_ have a good memory."

The girl laughed. "Looks like you do."

"Well, you gave me your number, so that means you're considering giving me a tour of Seattle, right?" without giving her time to answer, he continued. "How does tomorrow sound? We can go for an early dinner after school and then we could pretend to be like, Italian or Spanish tourists who don't know English. It will be fun." he joked.

"Okay." Zoe agreed. She didn't want to say more in front of Sarah to not upset her. After all, she had recently broken up with her boyfriend. "Bye bye."

"Who was that?" Sarah mumbled rolling over in her bed and opening one eye.

"No one. I think someone arrived, I heard voices. Come on, get up, lazybones. Maybe it's Zola."

It wasn't Zola, but Isaiah, who luckily made it home five minutes before everyone else. The boy was met by his grandfather's probing look and his grandmother's hugs.

"Hey everyone!"

"Aunt Amber, what are you doing?"

"Baking. Plum-cakes. We can't have just pizza, and you guys know how amazing my plum-cakes are."

Zoe and Isaiah rolled their eyes, while Helen smiled. She had always found the young woman to be a little extravagant, but she could see why she was loved by her grandchildren and daughter.

Isaiah joined Saul who was watching a quiz on tv.

As Sarah finally emerged from her room, rubbing her eyes, Cristina, Meredith, Derek, Zola and Logan arrived.

Soon they sat at the table to eat, and although their efforts in cheering Sarah up were mostly a failure, everyone else had a good time and the evening came to an end way too soon.

As soon as Zola was out of the building, Zoe sent her a message to tell her about Eric. As much as she was trying not to be too exciting about her date, she was also looking forward to it.

_**x**_

Zoe smiled at Eric when she saw him in front of the school. He said goodbye to the boy he was talking to and walked towards her, smiling as well.

"Hi." he said.

"Hey. Making new friends already?"

"He's the captain of the football team I just joined. He was telling me when practice is."

"Got it. Well, shall we go?"

"Sure. My parents own a small rotisserie. We can eat there, if you want. Or in any other place, but you'll have to pick because I only know my parents' store."

"I thought you had just moved here?" Zoe asked with a small frown.

"It's true. I'm not lying to you, Zoe. My parents came here six months ago after their restaurant went out of business; I've visited twice but I don't know Seattle and I don't know anybody. Except you. And Tyler, the football guy."

The girl nodded. "Got it." she was about to ask who he stayed with during those six months, but stopped herself. She wanted to have a good time, and if she did she would probably see Eric again. She wanted to know him better before starting to ask personal questions. "I would like to see your parents' rotisserie." Zoe smiled.

"Good. So... did your aunt ask about me yesterday?"

"She did. She loves to know everything about me and my siblings, she says our gossip-y life keeps her sane." she laughed. "She's a little crazy, but I love her."

"You have siblings?"

"Yeah, a sister and a brother. I'm the middle child." she giggled, but her laughter faded slightly as she wondered if she should have named the twins too. Well, he was still a stranger to her, there was no need to let him know about her messed up family. "What about you, Eric?"

"_Messer, Zoe, it's Messer." _he remarked, rolling his eyes. "I had a sister, but she..."

"Oh." Zoe answered awkwardly.

"Yeah. About a year ago. Well, it doesn't matter right now, I don't wanna depress you." he winked, trying to smile.

"My parents are divorced. I was six. After a while my father remarried to this woman I can't stand, and they have two kids. They're three. I don't like them that much either. I know it's not the same thing, but..."

"I get it, you're trying to say your life isn't perfect either. It's okay. I don't mind talking about Aria, but it's our first date. It's too soon to talk about these 'deep' thing, right?"

"Yes."

They locked eyes. Zoe could feel the tension between them, she could almost anticipate the kiss _Eric_ wanted to give her.

But he didn't. He smiled, again – brightly – and he took her hand. As they walked close to each other, Zoe thought she didn't mind meeting his parents, even if she didn't really know him. Austin and what he did to Sarah weren't going to ruin her spontaneity.


	9. From A Whisper To A Scream

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 9/? - From A Whisper To A Scream**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca**

Sarah sighed heavily when she realized she was the only one home. She opened the fridge in search of something she liked. Since she and Austin had broken up she hadn't eaten regularly, and she was starting to realize that she needed to. Opting for some orange juice and a sandwich, the girl threw herself on the couch and she switched on the television. They weren't giving anything interesting, though, and as soon as she was done eating her sandwich Sarah found herself extremely bored.

Looking around the loft for something to do, she saw her parents' wedding photo album on the dining room table. Her mom probably looked through it the night before.

The girl opened in warily. Alex and Cristina showed it to her once, when she was little, when they were still married and in a happy place.

In the first picture her mom was walking down the aisle with Sarah's grandfather Saul, a cryptic smile on her face. A photograph taken from another angle showed herself as a newborn in her grandma's arms. Her parents had gotten married at the City Hall before she was born, but after her birth they organized a big wedding and invited everyone they knew. They looked happy in those pictures, like they had everything they needed. There were also pictures of the reception, and Alex and Cristina were kissing in most of them.

Closing the album abruptly, Sarah went back to the kitchen. She took out an old recipes book her mother never used. She was still hungry.

_**x**_

Messer and Zoe were in the back of his parents' store, playing Scrabble. Zoe sipped her fresh lemonade. "I won."

"No way!" Eric widened his eyes. "You've been winning for the last three times!"

"Just accept it and offer me dinner." she leaned in and pecked his lips. Her looked at her intensely. "Our first kiss is gonna be magic." she whispered.

"Oh!" Ebony entered just as their kiss deepened.

Zoe blushed.

"Mom!" Messer whined.

His mother rolled his eyes at him. She wasn't pleased with her only son making out with his new girlfriend, but she knew he was responsible enough not to let it get too far, and the girl gave her that impression too.

"I just wanted to let you know that Lisa and Joe, our neighbors, invited us over for dinner tonight. They have a son who's your age, so you won't get bored. And Zoe can come as well, if she wants." she smiled at the girl. She was nice, polite, very down to earth, but she could also be sparkling in a way that reminded her of her daughter.

"Thank your for the invitation, Mrs. Messer. I'll have to check with my mother and then I'll, uh, let you know."

"Well, I need to get back to work. Eric, don't let me know too late, I have to tell the Donovans whether we'll be three or four." the woman said cheerfully, ignoring Messer's expression when she said 'Eric'.

"Do you want to come?" he asked Zoe after his mother left the room.

"I don't know." she shrugged. "We don't know each other that well. Don't you think it's too soon for a family dinner?"

Messer shrugged as well. "I think we've spent together every single afternoon in the last two weeks."

_**x**_

"Do you have a lighter?" Isaiah asked when he approached the girl. "Mine won't work."

"Uh, yeah. Here." she said apathetically, eying him head to toe. "'ve never seen ya 'round here." she lighted up a cigarette as well.

"It's the first time I come, indeed." Isaiah told her.

"D'ya skate?"

"Nope. But I love to watch pretty girls like you skating. Getting all sweaty..."

The girl raised her eyebrows at his successful attempt to flirt. "'lright then."

Isaiah followed her to the rink, where older teenagers were already skating. Some hot girls were clapping their hands. He let his eyes wander on them.

"Wanna watch me or not?" the girl barked.

"Of course." he immediately went back to observe her. She was pretty. Nothing special, really, but a touch of sweetness under all the tough words and moves confused him.

His gaze didn't leave her as she skated. There was something incredibly aggressive in her expression, in her body language, but her lilac t-shirt and light brown straight hair that fell innocently on her shoulders, suggested Isaiah she was only pretending. It wasn't hard to notice, since he lived under a mask of falsity himself.

"Can I buy you something to eat or drink?" he carelessly asked her as soon as she joined him again.

_**x**_

She was thirsty. She had performed surgeries in the last five hours, and her perfection didn't allow her to stop and drink.

After buying a bottle of water from a vending machine, she made her way to the board to see if Meredith was still in surgery.

Her pager beeped, and without a sign of complaint she took the elevator to the ER. It was a busy day, and she loved busy days the most.

"47-year-old male, car crash, he fell unconscious on the way here. Broken right arm, three broken ribs, possibly perforated spleen."

Cristina's bottle fell on the ground, splashing water everywhere.

"Oh my God! NO! Alex, no!"

Derek caught her right before she threw herself on him, sobbing hysterically.

**A/N: I'm starting a blog about my GA/PP stories. I'll put a few of my stories, spoilers about the upcoming chapter, photos of the characters' children, questions and polls about stories I plan to write in the future. If you're interested, ask me the link because I can't past it here :p**


	10. A Million Subtle Things

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 10/? - A Million Subtle Things**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca**

**A/N: I'm not getting reviews, people. Not that I care that much, but they make me happy, and if you don't review because they story isn't good please tell me how to make it better. I'm doing my best but suggestions are always welcome.**

Derek dragged Cristina into an empty exam room, holding her tight.

"He's going to be okay, Cristina. I'm gonna go check on him for you, alright? I paged Meredith. She'll get here in a minute." he stared at her for a second, making sure she was lucid enough to stay there and wait. "I'll be right back as well, to let you know what's going on with Alex. I promise you." with a last encouraging nod, Derek opened the door, bumping into his wife. Silently, he let her go in.

"Oh, Cris." Meredith sighed, hugging her friend. She remember how it felt to know you husband is in danger. "Alex is strong, he'll pull through this." she said, trying to reassure Cristina. She was starting to breathe normally again, but her stare was blank and terrified at the same time. "Look, I could... call Rebecca for you."

That woman was the furthest thing from her mind. But she was Alex's wife, and the mother of his children, and in her place she would have wanted to be called right away. She was sure Rebecca, Kirsten and Lachlan were the first people Alex would have wanted to see once he woke up. If...

Cristina shook her head. "I'll call her. Just – I need a minute. I need to wash my face."

"I'll walk with you to the bathroom." Meredith offered.

Cristina didn't bother complaining.

Five minutes later, she let Meredith squeeze her hand as she dialed Alex's home number. The phone rang and rang, it seemed to go on forever before she – finally? – heard Rebecca's hated voice.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Rebecca. It's Cristina."

"Oh, hi! Sorry I didn't pick up immediately, I've just walked in. I thought Dani would be here with the twins, but she must have taken them to the park – why are you calling anyway?"

Cristina felt her heart ache as she talked. "Alex has been brought to the ER. I don't know what happened, a car crush or something, they are treating him now."

"I'll be right there."

_**x**_

Isaiah opened the door of his apartment as quickly as he could, and he immediately went back to kissing Lily. He liked how her soft lips tasted after the vanilla ice-cream. The flavor was now mixed to a sent of smoke: the girl had just put out a cigarette.

A quick glance over her shoulder told Isaiah none of his relatives was home; with a passionate push he made Lily lie on the couch. Hi hand soon found Lily's breast, and he smirked satisfied when he heard her moan. Through her thin t-shirt he could clearly her heartbeat while he groped her.

Isaiah felt like he was hungry of her, and though that new thing seemed to be happening a little too fast the adrenaline kept him from stopping.

"Don't answer." Lily pleaded when the phone rang.

The boy moved his lips to her neck, kissing her and licking her and sucking, sliding lower on her warm milky body.

"Ignore it!" she hissed; the phone was getting annoying.

Ring after ring, the mood in the room started to change. Isaiah stopped his kisses, and looked at Lily with a sigh. "Sorry."

"_Hello?_" he said rudely in the phone.

"Iz." Cristina said frantically. She was expecting Zoe or Sarah to answer. Isaiah answering meant the girls weren't home.

"Mom!"

"Isaiah, honey, I need you to get your sisters wherever they are. Tell Sarah to drive you all to the hospital. There's been an accident..."

"An accident? Mom, what are you talking about?"

"Isaiah... I don't want you to worry too much right now, I don't really know how it happened but your dad had a car accident. I'm about to go see how he's doing."

Isaiah felt his mother's voice getting lower, till he completely blocked her out. He dropped the phone and, as he turned around to put on the shoes he had kicked away, he met Lily's eyes, remembering what he had been doing. Their kisses seemed very far away now.

"Again, I'm sorry, but please leave."

_**x**_

"I can't lose him, Mer." Cristina could barely breathe as she and Meredith walked to the trauma room. Was Alex still there? Was he okay?

All of a sudden Derek appeared before them. He firmly placed his hands on her shoulders. "Kepner just took him in surgery. It's nothing bad, just the spleen. I can't prevent any complication, but he should be okay. If everything goes smoothly he'll be out of the OR in a couple of hours."

Cristina closed her eyes. "Thank God."

"_Cristina!_"

The woman turned around immediately, and all of a sudden her ex-husband's wife was in front of her.

"He's okay. He's in surgery but he should be just fine." Derek repeated.

"_Should?_ I don't want a probability, I want to be sure my husband will recover from this."

"You can predict how a surgery goes, Rebecca. But if there aren't complication Alex is gonna be okay. Right?" Cristina turned to Derek.

"Right." he nodded. "Come on, I'll walk you to the waiting room and then I'll go check on Alex again."

"I know the way to the waiting room."

"I know. It's okay, Cristina, follow me."

Meredith smiled a little, and Cristina, glancing at Rebecca, followed Derek. "Where are Kirsten and Lanchlan?"

"With Dani. I didn't want them to be scared. Once I make sure Alex is fine I'll tell her Dani to bring them here."

Cristina nodded. She didn't know what to say to that woman. She couldn't help but think she didn't want her there. That she should be the only one in the waiting room, the one Alex should wake up to.

"I'll go with Derek, okay?"

Cristina nodded to Derek. Panic was starting to invest her again. She needed her son and daughters to get there immediately, so that she could have someone to hold on to.

Rebecca was silent beside her, staring at her hands and probably thinking the same things as her.

"Mom!"

Cristina jumped on her feet and wrapped her arms around her three children. Isaiah struggled for a moment but then hugged her back.

Not too long after – a little more than two hours, barely – Alex was successfully taken to the ICU. Everything had gone well – he had a broken arm, a neck-brace, he would be sore for a while – but Alex would be perfectly fine and finally everyone allowed themselves to breathe in relief.

"He's not gonna wake up for a few hours." Cristina told Rebecca as they both stood in his room, watching him carefully. "Why don't you bring the twins here? I'm sure their the first people he wants to see when he opens his eyes. Sara, Zoe and Isaiah are already here, go get Lachlan and Kirsten."

Rebecca hesitated. Dani was a phone call away; she would have brought the twins if she told her so. But she wanted to go home, and explain to her three-year-olds how their daddy looked like. She didn't want them to be scared when they saw them, and Dani didn't know enough to tell them.

She looked straight at Cristina. "A few hours? Are you sure? I don't want to miss it."

"It takes from two hours to five for the anesthesia to wear off. So, in his case, I think about three. You'll make it, Rebecca."

She nodded, then sighed. "Okay. I'll see you in a while, then."

As she exited the room, she passed her stepchildren. Zoe and Sarah both had red eyes, and Isaiah looked incredibly upset as well. She gently squeezed Sarah's shoulder. "Your dad is alright, guys. It wasn't a bad accident."

Sarah shook under her touch, then burst into sobs. Rebecca hesitated, thinking if she should hug her. Sarah had never liked her much. Before she could decide what to do, Cristina walked out if the room to comfort her children.

_**x**_

A few hours later, the situation hadn't changed much, but the family was calmer now. Cristina was keeping an eye on the twins from inside of Alex's hospital room. Rebecca was on the phone in the hallway, and Zoe and Isaiah were still sitting outside. Sarah was in the restroom.

All of a sudden, she heard something different from the machines Alex was hooked up to.

"Al?" she whispered in disbelief.

Alex's eyes fluttered opened as he let out a groan.

"Alex, it's okay. You're okay." she squeezed his hand tighter.

"Cris..."

"You're okay." she repeated.

Alex inhaled deeply, grimacing when he felt a sharp pain on his chest.

"You have a few broken ribs, that's why it hurts. And they had to cut you open."

"I, I don't remember clearly what happened."

"I don't know how you managed to crush your car, Alex, but I can tell you you almost gave me a heart attack when I saw you on that stretcher."

"How am I?"

"You have a broken arm, three broken ribs-"

"Never mind, I'll read that on my chart later. How are you? And did someone else got injured?"

"You hit another car, but they're all okay. You'll have to pay for the car, I think. I don't know, Alex, I wasn't thinking about anyone else but the father of my children."

Alex tried to raise his head to look out of the room, but didn't succeed. It hurt. "Where are they?"

"They're right of the room. Hey, there's Sarah on the doorway." she smiled brightly at her oldest daughter. "Rebecca and the twins are out there too; your wife is talking to your in-laws. I'm going to get her, okay?"

It killed her to walk away. She brought her right hand to her heart, feeling it beat so fast that maybe, just maybe, it would take wing.

Alex watcher her silently, unable to tell her to stay despite the unexplainable desire he had to be with her. Every single thought required him so much strength that my the time he phrased the sentence in his mind Cristina was gone.

"Daddy." Sarah's breathing was heavy and fast, irregular, and interrupted by several sobs.

"Sare, come over here." he chocked out, in a low voice, barely high enough to cover the girl's cry. "Close the door and come here, Sarbear."

Sarah forced herself to walk closer, then collapsed on a chair, sobbing even harder.

"Sarey, I'm fine, kid. I'm alright. Didn't you hear your mom say so?" he whispered.

"Daddy! Daddy, I am sorry. I am so, so, so sorry." she managed to say between one gasp and the other.

"Sarah, I'm here, kiddo. It's not your fault. What are you apologizing for?"

Now Alex could catch a glimpse of Rebecca beyond the glass door.

"Oh, Daddy. I'm, I'm so sorry. I'm pregnant."


	11. Fireflies

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 11/? - Fireflies**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca**

**A/N: So, little time jump... it wasn't in my plans but I didn't have enough inspiration to finish the previous version of the chapter. There'll be flashbacks to explain everything.**

_Three months later_

Cristina looked up from her phone again to glance at Sarah. Her daughter was staring out of the window, she had been for most of the afternoon. Cristina was more and more sure that the teenager was close to depression, but there were moments in which Sarah seemed like herself. When Alex came over for a while, Sarah smiled and looked as happy as she could be. She laughed at her brother's stupid joked and asked her sister about her boyfriend, that she had introduced to them as soon as Alex was out of the hospital. When she and Alex told Sarah they weren't disappointed in her, she relaxed, but they couldn't repeat it every single second of every day. She had to push herself to believe it.

It had been Sarah's decision to end her pregnancy, no pressure from her or Alex, but though they didn't show it they were relieved to hear her say she would have an abortion. Despite that, though, Cristina's heart stopped from a moment when she saw her unborn grandchild on the screen during the scan. She had squeezed Sarah's hand, without looking in her direction because she would have seen the tears, and waited for the procedure to be over.

Alex was still in the hospital that day, so Cristina drove there as fast as she could. She needed his support. Their seventeen-year-old daughter had just terminated her pregnancy and Cristina just couldn't bare to be alone.

Sarah turned around when she heard the front door open. She smiled at Zoe and at her father, but without the enthusiasm she would have had before meeting Austin. In Cristina's opinion, that boy had ruined her girl.

"Hello everyone. Where's Isaiah? We have ice-cream and movies. I had to pick an horror one because Zo's choices are honestly horrific."

Cristina held back a genuine laughter. Alex had been way more present than before and she was enjoying it.

"Sarah, call your brother, please. He's in his room. I guess we can have ice-cream for dinner, tonight."

"That was the plan." Alex smirked and kissed her cheek.

Cristina smiled, but deep inside she was confused. Alex hadn't been so sweet and nice to her in a very long time, and she wasn't used to it anymore.

"Sarey-bear, we decided ice-cream will be our dinner." Alex told his youngest daughter when she and Isaiah walked back in the room. "I got almost all the flavors they had, but if you want something else as well there's your favorite jelly. And peanut butter."

"Thanks." she started to make herself a sandwich, but Alex wanted to do it for her.

Zoe took some cups and spoons for the ice-cream. "Eric is going back to Canada for the summer. He's leaving in two weeks." she said.

"Are you going with him?" Isaiah asked her as she ended him a cup. "Add a little bit of pistachio."

"No way."

Zoe looked at Alex. "His parents actually asked me. But I imagined you wouldn't let me."

Cristina tried to find the best answer to give her daughter. "Maybe next year, sweetie. I think you're still too... young... to go on vacation with your boyfriend." she didn't want to use the word 'young', but she didn't even want to make up excuses for Zoe not to go. The truth was that she was young, and she didn't know Eric well enough to trust him completely.

"I understand. It's okay. Messer that he'll try not to stay too much."

"Mom and Dad just don't want you to get pregnant like Sarah did." Isaiah attempted to whisper in Zoe's ear.

"I heard that!" the other girl exclaimed, accompanied by Cristina's glare. "Anyway... Mom, Dad, I found this ad on facebook regarding a summer camp. It's really interesting. It's in the mountains and it lasts a month. It's for teenagers from fourteen to eighteen years of age."

"Well, you'll let me read tomorrow, okay?"

Sarah nodded. "What moves did you rent?"

It was good for Sarah to have her father home, it made her feel better and happy. She felt free to be at peace, while when he wasn't around she constantly wondered if he was angry and disappointed.

"Here, look. Pick one." Alex handed her the films.

Cristina glanced at it. "Wow, you really chose a lot."

"All the best ones. If we start now, we should be able to watch two or three of them."

"We better get started then."

_**x**_

After watching a few movies together and playing monopoli until almost one am, Cristina and Alex ordered their children to go to bed. Cristina stood up from the couch and went to pour herself a glass of water, ready to tell Alex goodnight. She was surprised when he followed her in the kitchen, and took a sip of _her_ water when she placed the glass on the table.

She raised an eyebrow, and her ex-husband shrugged in response.

"It's late, you should go. Rebecca is probably going crazy that you're not home yet."

Alex nodded slightly, but he didn't move. He had his eyes fixed on Cristina.

He made a step forward, uncertain, and grabbed her hand before she could pull back.

Alex thought she was amazingly beautiful when she bit her lip. He observed her reaction when she felt his hot breath on her neck. Alex couldn't help but want to kiss her. Cristina was so gorgeous and sexy. He leaned in, ready to catch her lips tenderly, when she talked.

"Alex..." it was a mere whisper; it would be easy for him to ignore it. "Ava..."

"No..." he wanted her.

_**x**_

_Alex was annoyed. Kirsten and Lachlan were screaming and running through the house, keeping him from watching the football match on TV in silence. Silence was his drug, since he was discharged from the hospital._

_Rebecca was speaking on her phone, to Dani maybe, or her sister, or a friend. She had a very loud voice._

_She hit the doorframe with her side, and the laundry basket she was holding fell on the floor. "Crap!" she yelled when it hit her bare feet._

_Alex clenched his jaw when the twins started to scream even loudly and run and jump even more to let their mother know she had said a bad word._

_Alex turned up the volume of the television._

_"Alex, turn it down, I can't hear Dani at the phone! And can you give the twins something to eat, please?"_

_Rebecca's voice sounded so ugly._

_"Daddy, can we jump on your back?" Kirsten tried to climb on him._

_"Kirsten, Daddy's still a little sore, remember?" Rebecca's voice was heard again, as annoying as before._

_Alex sighed and rubbed his temples. His headache was getting worse._

_Lachlan yelped and then started crying when he accidentally made a vase fall with his truck._

_"Alex!"_

_He stood up._

_"I'm going out."_

_His blank statement wasn't heard in the noisy house._

_**x**_

Cristina sat up abruptly in her bed, the next morning. Alex was lying naked at her side, and when she saw him her heart started to thrum fast in her chest.

"Alex Karev, wake up, get up, get dressed and _leave_!" she hissed.

She didn't need any more confusion in her life.

_**x**_

Sarah touched her flat belly, pulling up her pajamas shirt. She blinked. It was like there had never been a life in there, but it had been. Without any doubt.

_The pregnancy test had been the hardest part, because she didn't want to admit to be pregnant. She had waited for weeks before buying it, swimming in her misery._

_Then, step after step, she had come to the conclusion that there was nothing she could do. So she had confirmed her suspect seeing that plus sign, and she had made her best to find the strength to talk to her parents. She expected them to be a little more angry than they were, but of course they hadn't be pleased. Cristina had yelled, Alex's heart had almost stopped. There had been incredulity and so many questions that had the end of the day Sarah only wanted to sleep._

_Zoe had been the first one to ask what she wanted to do. her parents probably were too scared she would want to keep it. But Sarah didn't feel ready to be a mom, she didn't want to raise a child now. She didn't want memories of Austin. She was sure she wouldn't have been able to properly love her child, not as young and naïve as she felt at the moment._

She still thought the abortion was the better choice, and she would never regret it, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt...


	12. Over My Head

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 12/17 – _Over My Head_**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca**

Sarah looked up from her laptop. It was Friday early afternoon, so she and her siblings were at their father's house. Isaiah was glued to his cellphone, Zoe was going over some homework for a summer biology class she was taking.

The girl watched her father. He was pretending to pay attention to the television, but Sarah knew he was thinking about something else. Alex had a look on his face that his daughter hadn't seen in a long time, the look he used to have when Cristina was on his mind.

Rebecca walked into the room, a very sleepy Kirsten on her hip. "Alex, did you buy the twins' favorite cookies?"

"Oh, I forgot."

"And the toilet paper? We ran out of it."

"No. Sorry." he said flatly.

"Alright." Rebecca sighed. "I'll go now." she put Kirsten on the couch. "Alex, I shouldn't be too long, but just in case, if you see I'm late, Lachlan and Kirsten's clothes are on their beds."

"Their clothes?" Alex frowned.

"Yeah. For the twins' recital at school, to conclude the school year."

"Dad, you promised!"

"Yeah, I did. Rebecca, there's Zoe's dance recital tonight."

"But..."

"It's my weekend with them. She's my daughter."

"So is Kirsten."

"I'm not choosing Zoe over Kirsten and Lachlan. I haven's been to her recitals in..."

"Years." Zoe finished.

Alex nodded. "Years. I'm going."

Shaking her head in frustration, Rebecca kissed Kirsten on the top of her head and went out.

"What do we do now?" Sarah asked excited. Now that Rebecca wasn't there, everything was better.

"We could get Lachlan from his room and re-paint the walls of the living room. I have painting in the garage."

"Paint the walls?"

Alex shrugged. "I've never liked this color."

"Lachlan, come over here!" Isiah called. He liked his father's suggestion.

"We weally gonna paint the walls, Daddy?"

"Yeah, sunshine, I'll get the paintings."

Sarah laughed. "Dad's crazy."

"And fun."

"And cool, finally." Isaiah finished as Lachlan walked in the room.

"What up?" he said, imitating his older brother.

"We're painting the walls, little mite."

"We have yellow, red, blue and orange." Alex announced.

"We should make splashes." Sarah suggested. "All over the walls with different colors. The ceiling as well."

"Me wants red!" Kirsten yelled.

"And me wants blue!" her twin echoed.

"Okay." Alex took two paintbrushes, splashed them into the two colors and handed them to his youngest children. "Here we go, blue and red, now paint!"

"How?" one of them asked confused.

"Like this, see." Sarah grabbed another paintbrush, immersed it in the paint pot and draw a yellow line above a photograph of Alex and Rebecca's wedding. Then she shook the paintbrush and the painting squirted on the pale green wall.

"This is awesome!" Isaiah said. He quickly copied his sister, followed by the hesitant three-year-olds.

Zoe laughed. "Rebecca is going to be _so_ pissed!"

Watching his five children laughing and having fun, Alex smiled. He had missed it, making them be happy. As a father, he knew he had taken a lot of things from Isaiah, Zoe and Sarah; things that only a family could give them. Now, he wanted to make up for it. He wanted to see Zoe dance, he wanted to help Sarah with her insecurity, he wanted to give Isaiah some to ask advise to.

"Daddy, look!"

Even if it meant giving a little less time to his other family.

_**x**_

_"Hey. I brought you lunch. Good lunch, not hospital lunch." Cristina told Alex as she entered his hospital room. "Where's Rebecca?"_

_Alex gladly accepted the food. Their hands touched as Cristina gave it to him, and she shivered. Alex noticed. "No one could pick the twins up from their friend's house so she had to go. She said she should be back here around dinner time with them."_

_"I've just finished my shift." Cristina told him._

_"Oh."_

_"I can stay here for a while, if you don't mind."_

_"I don't, sit down. When are the kids coming to visit?"_

_"Sarah and Zoe wanted to stop by later."_

_"How re they? Actually, no, how are you?"_

_"I'm trying not to be angry with Sarah. She's okay, by the way. Sometimes I snap, but we haven't argued so far. She is pregnant, Alex. Our daughter's pregnant. She doesn't throw up much, but she has cravings and she's moody and she cries every two minutes. Everything makes her cry."_

_"She hasn't made a decision yet, right?"_

_Cristina nodded. "Not yet. And honestly, it's driving me crazy."_

_"I can see it." Alex told her. "Look, let's talk about something else. It's her decision in the end, we can't do anything about it We always talk about our children, we should really find other topics."_

_"Like what?" Cristina asked skeptically. It was hard for her to talk to Alex. Their heads were still full of the endless arguments they had before divorcing, and putting that aside all Cristina wanted to do most of the times she saw Alex was kissing him. When she didn't want to rip his head off, of course._

_"How was your day?"_

_"Oh. Uhm, it was okay, I guess. I'm a little distracted lately with Sarah's situation and-"_

_"No talking about the kids, remember?"_

_"...and your accident."_

_"Really? You're upset about me being in the hospital?"_

_"Alex. You're the father of my children, and saw them bring you in the ER on a stretcher, and I had to call you wife and the kids, and I... yes!"_

_Alex gave her a small smile. "I get it. I'm sorry I got hit. I'm okay now. I promise."_

I promise.

_**x**_

Cristina was already in the theater when Alex arrived there with their children. Zoe ran to join her dance mates, while her father, brother and sister sat in the sits Cristina saved for them. She raised an eyebrow. "You almost made Zoe be late."

"Sorry." Alex sat exactly next to her. "I had some problems with the twins. They didn't want their bath to end and apparently they don't like fancy clothes."

"Fancy clothes? For what?"

"School recital."

Cristina tried to hid her surprise but failed. "Yet you're here."

Alex smiled at her. "Couldn't miss my girl dancing."

Isaiah turned towards Sarah o whisper in her ear. "Don't you think he's being a little too nice to our mother? He's never been like that."

"He has." Sarah answered. "A billion years ago when I was little. But yes, I think he's acting weird. Like, as if he's trying to impress her."

"They mostly ever fight. And now, they don't anymore. It's creepy."

"And what about what he did today with Rebecca? I can't believe he told us to ruin her walls."

Isaiah shrugged. "I think when he said that, I adored him for the first time. For once he gave us a good weekend."

"He did, but now shush. It's beginning."

A few hours later, the lights went on again and people started to clap their hands. Isaiah caught a glimpse of his father letting go his mother's hand, and nudged Sarah.

Zoe joined them, sweaty but with the biggest smile on her face. "How was I?"

Alex pulled her towards him in a hug. "Amazing, sweetheart. The best dancer. You beat them all."

"Thank you, Dad."

"You did really good, Zo." Cristina also told her. "You were perfect."

"Who wants something to drink? Zo looks thirsty."

"I am." she nodded in confirmation.

Alex looked at his ex-wife.

Cristina was hesitant. "I don't know, Alex... it's getting late and I have to work tomorrow... you should just take the kids home."

"Oh, mom, come on!" Isaiah wanted Cristina to come. Lately his parents were getting closer, closer than he'd ever seen them, and he was excited about it. His hate for Rebecca didn't allow him to properly enjoy his father's company, but now that he often was with them he liked him. And he liked seeing him with his mother.

"Please, just one drink. I'll pay."

"Of course you will." Cristina rolled her eyes. "Fine, let's get something to drink."

They found a nice place in the nearby; from its window they could see Elliott Bay.

"Two beers, two orange juices and a coke, please." Alex told the bartender.

"Can I have a sip of your beer?"

"Absolutely not, Isaiah James."

"I already know how it tastes. Just one sip!"

"Stop it, Isaiah." Alex said firmly. He really had no problem with his son having a beer every now and then, but he knew he had given Cristina some problems a few months earlier and he didn't like it.

"So, have you thought about the summer camp thing?" Sarah asked her parents. "I really want to go."

"You can do." Cristina answered. "I think it would be a great experience for you."

"Thank you! It's awesome, thank you!"

Alex and Cristina laughed seeing her so happy. Isaiah caught them brush their hands again under the table, and smiled.

_**x**_

Alex tried to be as silent as possible when he got back to his apartment, but Rebecca was still waiting for them awake in the living room.

"Go to sleep." he said to his children.

Rebecca was staring at him with an indecipherable look. "What happened to the walls?"

"I was just trying to do something fun with the kids." he told her calmly. He didn't want to ruin his good day fighting.

"Well, couldn't you find another way to do it?"

"I never even liked that stupid pale green you chose for the walls."

"What? Does this mean you're not going to apologize, Alex?"

"Apologize for what? It's my house as well." he said, although lately it didn't feel like home anymore.


	13. Bits And Pieces

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 13/17 – _Bits And Pieces_**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca**

Alex and Cristina were driving Sarah to the gathering place to leave for her summer camp. Zoe and Isaiah stayed home, because Alex had the twins and there wasn't place for everybody in the car.

As soon as they got out and Sarah took her suitcase, Kirsten hugged her and motioned her pick her up.

"I don't want you to leave." she said in a whiny voice once in her sister's arms.

"It's only for a few weeks, Kirsty. You'll have lots of fun with Daddy and Lachlan. Here, give me a big kiss."

Sarah stopped the urge to wipe her cheek from the girl's very wetting kiss, and smiled at her instead. She put her down with a last hug, and ruffled Lachlan's hair. Now that Alex spent more time with her, it was easier to be around his other children. "Be a good boy, Lach. Kay?

He nodded, and Sarah took his hand in hers for a moment. "Well, I should join the others." she told her parents.

"Have a good trip." Cristina leaned in and hugged her daughter.

"And call when you get there." Alex did the same, pulling his daughter close to him. "Look at me. No boys, and no illegal things, and no depression. Have fun, but take it easy."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I will, Dad."

Alex never seemed to be mad about her _thing_ with Austin, but Sarah knew she had disappointed him and she didn't want it to happen again. Plus, she wouldn't feel ready to have another boyfriend for a while. Austin hurt her too badly.

"Bye, honey. See you in a month."

"Bye bye." Sarah waved at them as she walked to the group of other teenagers. She sighed with relief. She was looking forward to this new scenario, new people, new atmosphere. She needed it.

_**x**_

Alex had the day off from work, in theory, but his pager had already gone off twice. Reluctantly, he brought the twins back home to go to the hospital, although he was conscious he'd rather spend the day with Cristina.

_"So Rebecca left again?"_

_"It's not her fault." Alex protested, closing the newspaper he was reading before she entered his hospital room. "Her parents can't fly in, they're old and even if they could come they couldn't watch the twins all the time. And Dani... well, she has to study, and-"_

_"Chill out, Alex. I wasn't judging, just asking." Cristina took a sit in the chair next to the bed. Alex was feeling much better, but he had to stay at the hospital for another week or two. Cristina felt like there was a magnet attracting her to visit him every free moment she had. Alex didn't seem to mind it._

_"I know you set this rule that says we're not supposed to talk about the kids in this room... but it's important."_

_"What is it?" Alex asked her, a little worried._

_"There are two things, actually. The first one is that Sarah chose to have an abortion. I'm going with her tomorrow and... yeah. The second thing is..."_

_"Wait a minute."_

_Cristina waited for Alex to process the whole thing._

_"Okay, you can go on. The second thing?"_

_"Zoe has a boyfriend."_

_"She has a WHAT?"_

_Cristina stared at Alex, without answering, and then they both burst out laughing._

_When they calmed down, minutes later, Cristina continued. "She didn't want to say anything because she though it would hurt Sarah. Anyway I met this boy, doesn't seem dangerous at all. He's Canadian, moved here a while ago, and his parents own a rotisserie."_

_"A rotisserie?"_

_"Not as cool as having surgeons as parents, uh?" Cristina joked._

_Her pager went off. "I gotta go. I'll be back after dinner, when my shift ends. Page me if you need decent food."_

Cristina went to visit him several times every day, and they soon re-discovered they're old friendship, that they had buried under the bitter events of their divorce.

When Alex felt better and was discharged from the hospital, all he saw was Rebecca and not Cristina, and he missed her. At first he didn't want to admit it because Rebecca was his wife, but... Cristina was so much... alive.

_**x**_

_**It's incredible. This is the best day I've had in years. As soon as we arrived at this camp, the leaders gave all of us a diary. They asked us to write our thoughts and impressions in it. We won't have to read it aloud, if we don't want to, but I think I will. We had a long promenade in the woods, while the leaders explained to us what we'll be doing in the next days. We'll do team-works, games, contests. We had lunch under an oak, and in half an hour we'll make a bonfire and who wants, after dinner can read their diaries. I'm going to bring mine and write something during dinner, so that later I can read. It's the first time in my life I can actually say what I feel without having the impression of being judged. With Austin I had to say only cool things, to be sure he didn't consider me a nerd. With my parents, I'm afraid of disappointing them. But now, now there are all these amazing people that I don't know, and who won't ever ever judge me, and I feel free.**_

_**It's a nice feeling.**_

_**x**_

-Hey Sarah, can you chat?-

-We don't have computers here. What's up?-

-Just wanted to tell you that today we went to the Space Needle with Mom _and Dad_! Isaiah thinks they're sleeping together.-

-Zoe, Mom and Dad aren't sleeping together.-

-They're only in love.-

-We have a plan.-

-Iz and you? What plan?-

-Mom's calling me, I'll tell you another time.-

-Zo!-

_**x**_

Alex watched Cristina sleep beside him. They slipped again. Well, slipped was the wrong word, probably, because he didn't consider it a mistake, and he knew she wanted to be with him, but he was married and it wasn't fair to Rebecca.

He quietly got out of bed, careful not to move it or make any sound. He picked up his clothes and shoes from the floor, and walked out of the room planning to get dressed in the living room and then go home. Rebecca surely was out of her mind with worry and anger. He had no doubts she knew where he was.

"Ha, I knew it!" Alex turned around to see his son looking at him with a grin. "Zoe, our plan worked!" he yelled.

_**x**_

-Zoe, if you don't tell me about the plan now I swear I'm taking a coach and coming to KILL YOU-

-Relax, sister. It worked. We played the 20 questions game, we each could ask 20 questions to one another. I asked dad if he still loved mom. Isaiah asked dad if he still found her sexy-

-I can't believe you. And?-

-They blushed and refused to answer. But then we found them in bed together.-

Sarah widened her eyes in utter shock. Her parents were sleeping together! Maybe there still was a little hope, after all. Hope to have her family reunited again. She couldn't wait to go back home and see it with her own eyes.


	14. My Ever Present Past

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 14/17 – _My Ever Present Past_**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca**

**A/N: shorter than I wanted it to be, but pretty important :)**

Alex believed that from the moment he first placed his lips on Cristina's at the beginning of summer, his conscience split in half. Half of him felt guilty for cheating on Rebecca with his ex-wife, but the other half was happy, happy to be with Cristina.

Rebecca was ignoring him, and Alex couldn't really blame her. When it happened the first time, he got away with saying he fell asleep watching a movie with Sarah and Zoe, but the second time... Rebecca was furious, and Alex knew that if the twins didn't exist Rebecca would have already filed for divorce. But it was complicated, and before talking to his wife Alex wanted to figure everything out by himself.

Rebecca had made him happy for a long time, she even brought him to question his love towards Cristina, but now he couldn't help but notice how little time they spent together.

Between his job and hers, they usually only talked in the evenings and Sundays lately, and it didn't help that he was spending almost every free moment with Cristina and their children.

Thinking about it, though, he liked it that way. He felt guilty when he avoided Rebecca or when he did something to betray her, but he didn't miss her. It was like the spark went out, it wasn't there anymore. The only connection Alex still felt with his wife were Lachlan and Kirsten.

On the other hand, he missed Cristina like crazy when he was home, or when he was at the hospital and she had the day off. She constantly was in his thoughts, distracting him.

That's why he invited her out for dinner that night. He wanted to know if she felt it too, and in that case he wanted to make it right with her.

_**x**_

Alex held the door open for Cristina as they entered the fancy restaurant he chose. Cristina was surprised by his invitation, be didn't complain one bit.

"I asked them to reserve us the same table we had during our first official date."

Cristina raised her eyebrows, but couldn't hold back a smile. Alex was making a lot of little things that made her happy, lately.

"Thank you." she said. "So, should we call this a date?"

"I don't know." Alex answered. "I invited you out to talk, because we _need_ to talk, but yes, I guess we could call it a date after all. We both want to be here, it's our favorite restaurant, I'm probably going to kiss you later..."

"Probably?" Cristina teased.

"Most definitely."

Cristina laughed slightly. "So, since it's out favorite restaurant and we've been here a thousand times and already know what to order, I suggest that you start talking."

"Alright." Alex leaned in, resting his arms on the table and looking straight into Cristina's eyes. She bit her lips for a moment, and Alex though she was beautiful.

"I've been thinking about leaving Rebecca."

"Oh?" Cristina truly didn't expect it.

"It's complicated, Cristina, and I think you know that. Lachlan and Kirsten are only three, and it would be terrible for them if I left. But I'm not happy anymore. I tried to ignore it, I told myself it was only temporary and that I was making it seem bigger than it actually was. But ever since the accident, I've felt like my wife annoyed me. I literally can't stand her presence when I'm home. I thought it'd be good for us to have a night out alone, but I couldn't even open my mouth to suggest it! Cristina... it's you." he breathed out. "It's always been you."

"Don't say that." Cristina stiffened.

"Cris... it's true."

"I refuse to be the cause of your marriage's end, Alex Karev."

"Rebecca was the end of ours. Cristina, every time I see her, every time I look at her... I don't feel anything. I love my children, Cristina, but I don't love their mother anymore. And you're not the cause of it, you simply helped me realize it."

"Alex... Alex, just spend more time with her. It'll go away, you love her."

"I don't, and honestly I thought you'd like to hear that."

"I am, Alex." she whispered. "I've been wanted to hear those words for years, Alex, dammit! I just don't want you to leave her and than realize it was a mistake."

"Whenever I am with you, nothing else matters. I don't know what happened, Cristina, I don't know why I thought Rebecca was the one. We started to fight, we fought so much, over all those futile things, and I made myself detach from you. We haven't talked in years, did you realize that? And suddenly you came into my hospital room everyday and made me fall in love with you! Over again!"

"Isn't that a song?"

"Shut up." Alex said angrily, pulling Cristina in a passionate kiss. "I can't be without anymore."

"What took you so long?" she mumbled.

_**x**_

Sarah was laying on her bed, waiting for her roommate to get out of the shower. It was almost dinner time, and she really wanted to wash her hair before going down. She was enjoying her summer camp a lot. She knew she would like it, but she didn't expect to make so many friends and to feel so relaxed and happy. When she was alone, the baby and Austin came to her mind, sometimes. Mostly because she had no one to talk to about that. At home there was Zoe, at least.

Glancing at the clock, Sarah sighed. Leah was taking forever in the bathroom! The girl grabbed her diary from the nightstand, and began writing.

_**I'm feeling sad today. There's not really a reason, but I dreamed Austin last night and it's bothering me. Austin is my ex-boyfriend. I really loved him, but he didn't, and it's always sad to think about it. After Austin broke up with me, I was depressed. I didn't want to talk, not even to my sister, and all I wanted was to stay in bed and cry. Then one day I threw up, and it took me a few weeks to accept it: I was pregnant. I hated it. I hated that a part of Austin was inside of me. I didn't know what to do. I was scared to tell my parents, and saying it would have meant that I had to make a choice. But I did, eventually. Now there's no longer a baby, and Austin is not in my life. It makes me feel bad, sometimes. I mostly try not to think about it, I want to forget it, but somehow I can't.**_

Sarah stopped writing. It didn't make her feel as better as she hoped, but it was okay. Maybe reading it out loud would be a bigger step. A step towards deleting Austin from her memories forever.

_**x**_

Alex and Cristina were at her apartment, more precisely on Cristina's bed.

"We never finished talking, earlier. What's your plan?"

"About Rebecca?"

"Mm-mm."

"Well... I called the sitter, earlier. She's going to stay with the twins and I'll talk with Rebecca. I'll tell her more or less what I told you at dinner... that I realized I don't love her anymore, and that I'm not happy. I'm sure she's not happy either."

"Make sure to apologize." Cristina said. There was not point in going back now. She loved Alex, she never stopped, and if he wanted to be with her she wasn't going to push him away. Of course, she was sorry for the twins. She knew how much her and Alex's divorce had hurt Sarah, Zoe and Isaiah, and she had no doubt it would be awful for the twins as well.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner."

"Better late than never."

"Right." Alex pulled her closer to him, and she rested her head on his chest.


	15. Always And Forever

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 15/17 – Always and Forever**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**Minor pairings: Alex-Ava/Rebecca**

Sarah let Cristina hug her before they got in the car. She was a little sad that the camp was over, but was happy to see her family. "Where's Dad? He promised he'd be here as well." she asked, annoyed.

"He'll join us in a while." her mother informed her, but it wasn't enough for the almost eighteen-year-old girl.

"What's he doing?" she asked again.

Zoe, in the backseat, giggled. "You'll know soon enough."

Sarah glanced back. Zoe and Isaiah were looking at each other with a smile. They clearly knew something.

"Will someone just tell me something!" she exclaimed.

"Calm down, Sarah. It's a quarter to six and we're two minutes from home. Your father will be at our apartment at five past six maximum."

Sarah mumbled something under her breath that no one understood, and crossed her arms on her chest. She didn't say a world for the rest of the drive, but Cristina knew her anger would disappear as soon as Alex told her why he was late. Sarah would be over the moon, and she'd stop caring that her father wasn't there to pick her up. She was sure of that, because she was bursting of joy, too. Alex was doing the thing she'd never believed he'd do, and always hoped he'd do. He was leaving Rebecca.

_**x**_

Alex cleared his throat. He was nervous. He had told his wife he had to talk to her about half an hour earlier, but though she was home and willing to listen he couldn't sat her down and say it aloud. He was scared. He wasn't afraid of regretting it later, what he dreaded was her rage. When Rebecca was angry, she could be a bitch. Alex feared she would try to keep the twins away from him. The rational part of his mind knew that, of course, she wouldn't, but he'd almost lost his eldest children and if there was the slightest chance that Rebecca would do something to hurt him, he wanted to consider it. He knew he wouldn't be able to live without any of his five kids. He loved each of them differently but equally, all of them had something special that made him love life just a little bit more because they existed. He didn't need Rebecca to live, and in a way or another he could survive without Cristina, but life wouldn't be bearable without his two sons and three daughters. He needed Sarah, who was so much like him. He wanted to feel proud of Zoe, always, for she was his little genius. He wouldn't be able to give up on Isaiah and his ways of talking that reminded him of Cristina. And the twins. Lachlan and Kirsten were so full of energy and sweetness and they made his heart burst of joy.

He swallowed. He needed to do it. All he had to do was rip the band-aid off, and he'd be free to see Cristina, Zoe, Isaiah, Sarah. He missed them all already, especially Sarah. He hadn't seen her in a month. He took a big breath, telling himself he'd work something out with Rebecca. Wednesdays and weekends and every other birthday. Or maybe they could be together, as some kind of family, just for a day on the twins' birthday. He liked the idea.

"Becca?" he called. She was washing the dishes from their late lunch, and she looked at him when she heard his voice. She had a resigned look, as if she knew he was about to end their marriage and tear apart the family they had created with so much love.

"Wait for me in the living room, I'm almost done here."

Alex nodded, though he knew she couldn't see him. Swallowing his own agitation, he walked back to the other room and waited. Sixty seconds seemed a million years, and Rebecca looked like a stranger when she joined him. Uncomfortable, she sat on the opposite side of the couch, trying to find enough courage to look up at him.

"Talk." she requested, when all she wanted to do was beg him to stay, to not say the words.

Alex granted himself another long moment of silence. "I..." he cleared his throat. Maybe he should have prepared a speech. He didn't know what to say, though it was all clear in his head. "I'm in love. Deeply in love, so much in love that sometimes it hurts. And what hurts the most... is that I'm not in love with you."

Rebecca nodded, and Alex knew he couldn't stop now. He had to keep talking till his conscience was a little less guilty and dirty, and he had explained it all to her. "I cheated on you." he admitted. He was looking at her while she was staring at the floor. "With Cristina. I didn't know I wanted it until it happened, and I didn't realize how bad it was until I saw your face and remembered why I loved you. Except... except I only remembered it, but didn't feel it anymore. Little by little it was gone. Not all of it, though." he added. He'd always care for her, and love her, and be grateful. She was the mother of his children. "You'll always be one of my best memories. Indelible from my life. I want you to know it. I'll never stop telling you. I'm sorry I fell out of love with you, Rebecca. I'm just not as happy as before, and Cristina made me realize what I lost with her."

"It's okay." she whispered. "I've always known you fell in love with me as Ava, and as soon as I started being Rebecca you felt a different kind of love towards me. I knew you'd go back to her, eventually."

Alex nodded. "And the kids? I want to be there for them, always." panic rose in his chest.

"You can see them whenever you want. We'll work out a plan, but, just, not now. Not today. Today... this is enough."

Alex watched her guiltily. "I'm sorry." he said, remembering Cristina telling him to apologize. "I'm sorry."

"I know, Alex." Rebecca stood up. "I'm sorry too."

_**x**_

Alex opened the door with the key that Cristina had given him earlier that week. He liked using it, it made him feel complete, like he was going where he belonged. When he entered he saw Cristina on the phone, and Isaiah and Zoe playing cards with her boyfriend Messer. He didn't like the fact that his daughter had a boyfriend, but he couldn't deny that Eric Messer wasn't too bad. Sarah was in the room as well, observing the scene with a bored look. When she saw him, she threw him a very angry look. He gathered from it that no one had told her anything about him breaking up with Rebecca, and he smiled. He was happy to be the one who told her.

"Come here, Sarey-Bear. Let me hug you. I missed you. I want to tell you something." when she didn't move, he stepped forward. "I'm sorry I was late. I was with Rebecca."

Sarah snorted, looking away annoyed.

"I was with Rebecca because I had to talk to her and it was a very good moment to do it. The twins weren't home, and both of us were home from work."

Sarah raised her eyebrows. She didn't care what he did with Rebecca.

"What I had to tell her was-"

"I never cared about her, why would I start now? The thing is you promised you'd be there to pick me up and you weren't there. You didn't come. Another broken promise, just when I thought you'd never do it again."

"If you would only let me finish," Alex raised his voice. "You'd know that I had to tell Rebecca that our marriage is over. That I want a divorce and that I'm in love with your mother. Got it?"

"Gosh Alex, I hope you didn't use those exact words. I don't like the woman but that's not how you talk to your wife and mother of your-" Cristina started to say after she ended her call.

"Hush." Sarah cut her off. "Is it true?" she asked, looking at her parents.

"True enough that I'm here announcing it to you without any regret, and I'm waiting for you to forgive me for not picking you up so that I can take you – my family – to the movies. All together."

Sarah shrieked in amazement and launched herself at her dad, throwing her arms around his neck.

Alex laughed as he held her tight.

"So, Batman or Madagascar 3?" he asked, watching as Isaiah shook his head at the scene.

He caught Eric squeeze Zoe's hand, as they shared a smile. He looked at Cristina. She was beautiful, and perfect, and all he wanted and needed. She was his woman, always and forever.


	16. You're All I'll Ever Need

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Time setting: seventeen years after the sixth season's final, more or less.**

**Chapter: 16/17 – You're All I'll Ever Need**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

**A/N: I decided to write this chapter like I wrote my others Alex/Cristina stories. I enjoyed it and I hope you will too!**

Alex stretched his arm, and reached out until he touched Cristina's curly black hair. He rolled over, with his eyes still closed, brushing her lips with his.

"Good morning." she told him.

"Good morning." he kissed her again. "Slept well?"

"Like a baby." she sighed, opening her eyes. "I can't believe we have to get up."

"We could send the kids away and stay here." Alex suggested with a sly grin.

"Now way." Cristina slapped his chest playfully. "I'm looking forward to our little vacation together out of Seattle's complications."

"Me too." Alex smiled at her. "Let's wake the kids up and leave. We can have breakfast out."

"I like the idea very much, Karev." Cristina laughed slightly and kissed him.

**Day One**

"Pool, I'm comiiing!" Zoe yelled, taking off her yellow dress as she ran to the pool in the backyard. It had been her request when they told her they were renting a house for a week, and now Alex thought it had been a good investment. He started to run, too, and jumped in the pool after his daughter, splashing water everywhere. Luckily Cristina was still far from them, because she would have make a big deal about it if he got her wet.

Alex swam to where Zoe was, and started to tickle her under the water. He lifted her and then let her go. She came up laughing. She had always been a happy person but Alex noticed the change in her when he left Rebecca. It was hard not to see the twins everyday, because he felt like he was missing a lot of things, but he was happier with Cristina.

"Mom, come on in!" Zoe yelled at Cristina, who was slowly approaching the pool with Sarah and Isaiah.

Isaiah took off his clothes. He couldn't hold back the laughter, either. All the resentment he had felt towards his parents ever since their divorce was gone. Now he saw his mother happy, and he saw Sarah happy and more talkative. And he was happy as well. "Mom, come on, let's get in the pool."

"No, thank you, I'm good here. Sarah and I are good right here."

Sarah laughed. She had her period, so she wasn't comfortable going in the pool, but she was sure either her dad or her brother would force her mother to get in soon. In fact, just as she thought about it, Isaiah grabbed their mom from behind her gently pushed in the pool.

She screamed, angry, but Alex kissed her and she decided to let it go. She looked at Sarah, who was smiling at the scene. She looked at Zoe who was swimming like a mermaid. She looked at Isaiah, who was sneaking up behind Zoe to scare her. And Alex, who was holding her in his arms.

She was happy. She had everything.

**Day Two**

They got up late, tired from the day before and as lazy as it's fair to be while on holiday. Sarah, who had always been a light sleeper, woke up when she heard Cristina go to the bathroom. She yawned, rubbed her eyes and got out of bed. "Zoe, wake up!" she exclaimed, opening the window. The view was amazing. Trees surrounded the house, and Sarah could swear she saw a squirrel.

"What time is it?"

"I don't know, but just get up. There's a squirrel."

"I don't care. I want to sleep." she whined.

Sarah shrugged, leaving the room.

"Morning."

"Hey sweetheart. Coffee?"

"Thanks. Where's Dad?"

"Still in bed. He said he'll get up when breakfast is ready. I said I'd drink all the coffee, so he should get up. I was serious."

Sarah laughed. She loved how her parents behaved like children, sometimes. "What are we doing today?"

"I think we'll just have a promenade and see if there is something to do around here. It's a lazy day."

Sarah laughed in agreement, watching as the other members of her family sleepily entered the room.

**Day Three**

"Thank you for taking me here." Cristina told Alex. They were in bed, it was night, and through the window they could see a lot of stars. A million more than in Seattle. It was beautiful, and the only thing that Cristina enjoyed more was Alex.

"You don't need to thank me. I missed it too. Being with you and the kids, I mean. We only did something like this once, and it didn't even go too well."

"You're right. Isaiah would cry all night and sleep all day, Zoe was in her terrible two's and Sarah got sick. We should have listened to Callie when she said holidays are hell with a kid. Let alone three little demons."

"It's not our fault. Meredith said Callie was lying."

"Yeah, because Zola has always been an angel. Seriously, I haven't met a kid who's more well-behaved than Zola."

Alex laughed. "Well, at least we're enjoying it now. The kids have grown up and they're mostly good now."

"They are good. They just have their bad moments, like any other teenager."

"Can you believe that Sarah's going to be eighteen tomorrow?"

Cristina sighed. "I know. My baby's all grown up. She's almost an adult now. A woman."

"No, she's still my little girl." Alex laughed.

"One thing is sure. She's going to love her presents."

**Day Four**

Zoe stayed up all night. At seven, after a countless amount of coffee and almost two hours spent listening to music to stay awake, she went to the bathroom, took a shower and put on a nice white dress that she had bought the day before. Then, she quietly walked into Isaiah's room and sat on the edge of his bed. She nudged him slightly. "Iz, wake up. It's Sarah's birthday." she whispered.

He mumbled something that the girl didn't understand, but after a couple of minutes he gave in and sat up.

"I'm going to wake up mom and dad. Try not to make noise."

Isaiah, basically still asleep, didn't answer but only grumbled incoherent words.

"Mom, Dad?" Zoe knocked on the open door of their room.

"I'm awake." Cristina answered. She'd been awake for about twenty minutes. She sat up, kissed Alex on his cheek to wake him, and followed her daughter to the other room.

Once in the small kitchen of the house, she stopped speechless.

There was a big cake in the middle of the table, surrounded with small cookies and chocolates. Zoe had written 'Happy Birthday Sarah' on a colored paper, and hung it on the chandelier.

"It's beautiful, Zo. Perfect."

Cristina was only planning to take Sarah out for breakfast, and let her buy whatever she wanted. Of course, she and Alex had a lot of presents for her, but they couldn't cook, so Zoe's 'little' help was highly appreciated. Cristina kissed her daughter on the top of her head. "You're a very good sister, honey. Sarah is really lucky. And so are me and your dad."

Zoe smiled. She couldn't wait to see Sarah's face when she saw everything. She was particularly proud of all the decorations.

Alex and Isaiah emerged from the bedrooms, and their reaction was basically the same as Cristina.

"Wow."

"Did you do it all by yourself?"

"She did." Cristina answered proudly.

Zoe slapped Isaiah's hand. "Don't eat it!"

"Oh come on now, are they all of Sarah?! She'll never eat all of this stuff."

"It's for everybody, goofy, but we have to wake her up first. How do we do it?"

"We should start singing happy birthday." Alex suggested.

"Okay."

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Sarah...happy birthday to you!"

At the second 'happy birthday' Sarah sat up abruptly, and stared at her singing family trying to fully wake up.

Alex was the first one to hug his daughter. "Happy eighteenth birthday, sweetheart."

"Thank you, Dad."

"You're officially a major now, Sarah!"

"I know, and it's awesome!" she grinned.

Cristina hugged her too, kissing her forehead. "Happy birthday, baby girl."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Mom, I'm eighteen, do you have to call me that?"

"Yes." she answered simply.

"Come on, come to the kitchen. Come to the kitchen now." Zoe told her sister impatiently. She couldn't wait to see her face.

"What did you do?"

"You'll see." Zoe smiled. "Do you like it?" she asked when they got to the kitchen.

"I love it, Zo!" Sarah answered her, hugging her sister.

**Day Five**

It was night, right after dinner. They had spent all day at a fair in the small town, going on roller-coasters and eating junk food. Now they were a little tired, and decided to go back home. They weren't hungry, but Zoe suggested that they got ice-cream. They also bought some cards and Scrabble and Trivia and started to play as soon as they walked in.

Those, to them, were the best nights.

**Day Six**

They decided to explore the nearby. There were woods and hills, and small lakes and brooks. They stopped to take photos and eat something in the green, before resuming the walk.

Alex and Cristina walked hand in hand, watching their three kids in front of them. Alex rubbed circled on Cristina's hand, lost in his thoughts, when he suddenly talked.

"I want to get married again." he said, when the three teens were far enough not to hear. He wanted it to stay a private conversation.

Cristina kept walking beside him, and answered a few minutes later. "Yeah, we should. Just us. Like the first time, when I was pregnant with Sarah."

"We should do it tomorrow morning before leaving." Alex said. "I like it here, it's a good place to get married."

"Okay."

**Day Seven**

The next morning they made sure to be out of bed at eight. They walked to the city hall. On the way there, Alex bought a bouquet for Cristina, and they stopped in a small jewelry to look at rings. Cristina chose a thin wedding band in white gold.

Sarah gave her her blue earrings, and Zoe landed her her necklace. Isaiah handed her an old lucky charm from when he was a child and that he always carried around.

"I love you." Cristina said after they had both said yes.

"I love you." Alex repeated, pulling her close and inhaling her perfume that he loved. "This times it's forever."

"Forever." she nodded.

"Mom, Dad, look at us! Smile! Say cheeeese."

_Click._

**A/N: Wow. The next chapter will be the epilogue, but I might add a second epilogue if you're not satisfied. Please review. I would love to know your opinions. I hope you enjoyed!**


	17. Epilogue: Where The Story Ends

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Chapter: 17/17 – Epilogue: Where The Story Ends**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina...and something else :)**

**A/N: this chapter takes place about 15 years after the previous chapter.**

"Zoe's beautiful." Alex expressed the thought that had been stuck in his mind all morning.

Cristina, who was sitting at his left, nodded, her eyes on their daughter as well. "She certainly is. But I must say Aria wins."

Alex smiled. It was the christening of his second grandchild, Aria, who was named after her daddy's deceased sister. Zoe and Eric had gotten married during their second year of college, and started trying for a child as soon as they were done studying. Now, they had two beautiful children, Edison and Aria.

They were in a restaurant to celebrate Aria's christening, and lunch was about to be served. There was music, and Alex and Cristina watched as Eric and Zoe danced together and Sarah dragged their grandson to dance with her.

"Look at Sarah with Edison." Alex laughed. "She'll be an amazing mother one day."

"She will." Cristina answered quietly, her mind racing back to the day of her daughter's abortion so many years before. The abortion was a taboo. She knew that Sarah thought about Austin and the baby, occasionally, because there were days when she was silent and sad, and touched her flat belly. But the one time that she had tried to bring it up, Sarah had started an endless cry. She knew it was painful to lose a child, because it had happened to her. She hadn't told her daughter, but she understood. Ever since her nephew and niece's birth, Sarah was always cheerful. Edison and Aria had brought an immense joy in the whole family's life, but it was beautiful to watch her oldest daughter with the children.

"Hey." Isaiah said as he sat at the table, taking off his tie.

"Where were you?"

"I had to call a client."

Isaiah had been a huge surprise for the family. Despite his troubled teenage years, he had changed a lot growing up, and he now worked in a bank. Of course, that didn't stop him from being his father's spit image. Cristina saw so much of Alex in her son, even more than when he was a child. He looked like her, but was all Alex in matters of character.

"Issues?" Alex asked his son.

He shook his head. "I solved everything. Gee, I'm starving. When are we going to start eating?"

"I saw a few waitresses around, they're starting to bring food. You should get your sisters."

Isaiah rolled his eyes. "Why do _I_ have to get them? Plus, they're old enough to notice themselves. And, Sarah's coming."

"Hey." she said, smoothing her dress as she sat down. "I'm starving."

It was Cristina's turn to roll her eyes. "Alex, there's no doubt they're your children now."

Sarah laughed. "It's just that I skipped breakfast. Bad choice."

"You seemed to have fun with Edison."

"I was. He's my favorite boy in the whole world. And the only one, unfortunately. But yes, of course I was having fun. He's Zoe's kid. He's hyper and cheerful and sparkling."

Cristina smiled.

"Oh God."

"What?" they all simultaneously asked Isaiah.

"See that waitress? The one at that table near ours? I know her."

"Who is she? An old flame you never told us about?" Alex smirked. Like him when he was younger, his son was some kind of magnet for females.

"Not really...I met her the day of your car accident, Dad, when I was fourteen. We were kind of making out when Mom called. I left and I never explained. I hope she doesn't see me."

"Wait, you were making out with her that day? You were fourteen! You weren't allowed to be home alone with a girl." Cristina said.

Isaiah shrugged. "Nothing happened. I admit it could have, but it didn't, so..."

"Oh, Cris, he's not a teenager anymore, it doesn't matter now." Alex was amused, both by Cristina's reaction and Isaiah's discomfort.

"To bad Iz, she's headed here." Sarah told her brother, holding back a laughter. "Do you at least remember her name?"

"It's Lily." he answered bitterly.

Lily was walking towards their table, just like Sarah had said. She had three plates in her hands, and, looking straight into Isaiah's eyes, she carefully placed them in front of Alex, Cristina and Sarah.

She cleared her throat. "I'll be back in just a second with the other plate. I hope you enjoy your meal..." her voice faded as, blushing, she turned around to leave.

Isaiah hesitated, then stood up with a sigh. "Lily!" he called out.

She turned around, looking at him in wait. Waiting for the words that, at the moment he couldn't spit out.

Lily shook her head and made a few steps forwards, only to find herself stopped again by Isaiah's.

"Wait. I, uhm... Hi. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you, but I'm working, I can't stop to talk."

"Take a break. Five minutes? Do you still smoke?"

"Sometimes." she sighed.

"Alright, than let me offer you a cigarette. Alright?"

"Okay! Okay."

She followed him outside, in the small backyard. Isaiah lit her cigarette, before taking one for himself as well.

"That day...when I, let's say, ditched you...remember the call I got? It was my mother. She told me my father was at the hospital after a car accident."

"Oh."

"It wasn't _that_ bad, but we all freaked out. Not long after my sister Sarah told us she was pregnant, and things were a little chaotic for a while. A lot of stuff happened, one thing after the other. Not all of them were bad, but I didn't even have the time to think to call you and explain, at the time."

"Isaiah, we were fourteen. We had known each other for less than a day. I never held it against you, it was just strange seeing you here."

"It's my niece's christening." he explained. "And, Lily, it was strange for me too. I didn't care about anything back then, but I know it wasn't pleasant to be left there, even if we barely knew each other."

Lily nodded, not knowing what to say. They didn't know each other, but for some reason they were there together, smoking, and talking about something that never mattered in their life. Something that, though, they never erased from their memories.

Isaiah cleared his throat. "Are you single?"

"What? What kind of question is this?!"

"Sorry." Isaiah laughed. "I've always preferred direct questions. I wanted to ask you out."

Lily stared at him for a while. "I have a son." she told him eventually.

"Oh. I'm sorry,-"

She shook her head. "I am single. But I'm a single mom to a two-year-old little terror and, and you can ask me out as many times as you want but I'll only say yes once I'm sure you won't hurt my child."

"I'm an uncle. I'm pretty good with children." he paused. For some reason, talking about Lily's son seemed right. They weren't just making conversation, they were talking about their life, they were talking about dating. It didn't matter that up to five minutes earlier they only knew each other's name and age, and nothing more. It didn't matter that they barely ever thought about one another through the years. It felt good to Isaiah to ask Lily out. It felt good to look at her and talk to her. "Would you go out with me tonight?"

Lily smiled, biting her lip to hold back a laughter, but failing. "Yes!"

_**x**_

"I'm going to the restroom, I'll be right back." Sarah informed Alex and Cristina.

Her mother nodded, then turned to her husband, pointing someone to him. "Rebecca came."

"Oh. I hadn't seen her."

"You should say hi. And look for the twins."

Alex nodded. "I'll be quick." he said, placing a quick kiss on her cheek.

"You came, in the end."

Rebecca turned around, startled by his voice. "Alex! You scared me. Yes, of course I came. Kirsten and Lachlan wanted to be here for Aria, and I wanted to say congratulations. Once again, you're a grandpa, while I'm still only a mom." she joked. Things were still a little awkward between them, although a lot of years had passed from their divorce, but they got along and spent time together with their children. Alex realized he couldn't be a friend for Cristina, back then, because deep down he knew he could only love her, but with Rebecca there was no problem. They were friends, or at least friendly to one another, and their separation never weighed on their children like it had on Sarah, Zoe and Isaiah.

"Being around kids keeps me young. You only have two teenagers and Dani, who's a grown woman. Where are the twins, anyway?"

"They went to look for Zoe, they wanted to see Aria and Edison. How's Zoe? Does the baby keep her awake at night?"

"Most of the time, yes. But she's an angel during the day."

"Obviously."

"Well, uh, I need to get back to my table, they already brought us food. I'll see you around."

Rebecca nodded. "I'll see you later." she couldn't say she was still in love with Alex, but it was strange to see him as happy as he was with Cristina, since he'd never been like that with her.

Alex went back to the table; Cristina wasn't alone anymore, Zoe had joined her with her children and her youngest siblings.

"Hi, Dad!" Kirsten greeted him. She was beautiful in her eighteen years, and although she sometimes got jealous of her older sisters and brother Alex could say they had a great bond.

"Hey, sweetheart. How are you? How are you, Lach?"

"Good." they both answered, turning their attention back to their niece and nephew.

"Where's Eric, Zo?"

"He's talking to a cousin of his. Tom, or Tim, I don't know. Sarah and Isaiah?"

"Sarah went to the restroom, and Isaiah is talking to this girl, Lily." Cristina told her daughter.

"Who is she?"

"He met her when he was fourteen, but he never saw her again... something like that. We'll ask him when he gets back."

"It might take him a while." Zoe smirked, and Lachlan laughed, followed by Kirsten.

"Oh, Zo, come on."

"It's true! Oh, he's coming here. Alone. Iz! What about this Lily? Di you make her fall to your feet?"

Isaiah sighed, and sat down slowly, preparing himself for his sister's endless questions.

_**x**_

"Hey, Sarah!" her brother-in-law stopped her as she was going back to her table.

"Hey."

"Come here, I want to introduce you to my cousin."

"Oh, sure. Hello, I'm Sarah, I'm Eric's wife's sister." she said, holding out her hand for him to shake.

He took it with a big smile. He was tall, he had brown eyes and blonde hair, like Eric. "I'm Tom. Nice to meet you. Eric told me a lot about you."

_The End_

**A/N: Are you disappointed? Liked it? Hated it? I though I'd end the chapter, and the story, with some sort of open ending, showing the beginning of Zoe's perfect family, Isaiah's relationship with Lily, and Sarah meeting Tom. I realize a lot of you probably don't like it, so, if you're disappointed and want me to add more, I can add one more chapter that properly shows their lives a couple of years from now. Review!**


	18. An Average Sunday

**Title: Ever Present Past**

**Chapter: Epilogue: An Average Sunday**

**Main pairing: Alex-Cristina**

_Three years later_

It was Sunday, that for the Karevs meant family day. Alex and Cristina were ready for their sons and daughters' arrival, and they couldn't wait to see their five grandchildren.

Lachlan was the first one to arrive, with his twin sister Kirsten and her newborn daughter Bella.

Alex immediately stole her from her arms. "Come here, baby girl. Oh my, you're so beautiful."

Kirsten laughed. "Don't wake her up, please. I stayed up all night, my head's exploding and I might go into hysterics if she starts crying again."

"I'll hold her quietly, then. Why don't you go to the living room and relax? No one has arrived yet, you have some time of peace. Enjoy it, because it won't last long."

Kirsten nodded, grateful. Being a twenty-one-year-old mother was the hardest thing she had ever experienced, no matter how much she loved her daughter.

She and Lachlan sat on the couch, and Kirsten closed her eyes. As her father had said, peace and silence wouldn't last in the house. Her siblings' kids weren't bad, but Christopher was very loud and very active. She couldn't remember seeing him sitting still. Though he wasn't Isaiah's biological son, she could see much of him in her nephew.

Cristina emerged from the kitchen, drying her hands on her apron. "Hi, guys. How are you?"

"Great, thank you. I'm loving college. I've never liked school too much but I'm glad my mom made me go, now." Lachlan answered his stepmother.

Cristina looked at Kirsten, who was leaning against the back of the couch with closed eyes. "You can go upstairs and rest, if you want. Zoe called to say she's almost here, and you'll get much more rest in your bedroom."

She weakly nodded. "It might be a good idea." she mumbled. "I'll just rest for twenty minutes and then come downstairs for lunch."

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang again and Cristina opened the door to her youngest daughter, her husband and their two children.

"Nana!" seven-year-old Edison immediately hugged her, followed by his little sister. Cristina lifted Aria in her arms. "Come on in, kids. Aunt Kirsten is having a nap upstairs, so try and be quiet. Zo, everything okay?"

"Yes, Mom, thank you."

"You too, Eric?"

Her son-in-law nodded with a smile. "We're doing great."

Though Eric and Zoe argued about his very demanding job, sometimes, Cristina thought they were an amazing couple. She thought it was awesome that they never broke up in all those years, and that they barely fought.

Alex stepped in the room, still holding little Bella in his arms. It was hard to keep his eyes off of her, but now that Aria and Edison were there he knew he wouldn't be able to stay away from them, either. They were special for him, being his first grandchildren.

"Grandaddy, look at my new doll!" Aria waved it before his eyes.

"It's really pretty, Aria." he said, faking amazement. "Who bought it for you?"

"Aunt Sarah did! It's my new favorite doll now." she said very seriously.

"Hey, what about the doll I got you for you birthday?"

"I like Aunt Sarah's better, daddy. It's bigger."

Eric laughed, taking her in his arms and tickling her.

"Daddy, no!" Aria giggled. "Uncle Lachlan, help me!" she said to her uncle when she saw him enter the room.

Zoe laughed as well. "I'm thirsty, does someone want anything?"

"I'm thirsty too, Mom!"

"There's fresh lemonade in the fridge, Zo."

"Alright. Come with Mommy, Edison. Let's get some lemonade."

"When is Aunt Sarah arriving?" the boy asked his grandparents when he and Zoe walked back in the room.

"Soon, honey."

In fact, a little over five minutes later Sarah opened the door with her key, dropping her bag on the floor to catch Edison, who, forgetting he was holding a half-full glass, launched himself in his aunt's arms.

"Careful, kid."

"Finally, Aunt Sarah! I missed you!"

"You saw me yesterday, buddy." she chuckled, taking the glass from his little hand. "Hey, everyone."

"Why are Uncle Isaiah and Aunt Lily and Christopher with you?" the boy asked, seeing his other aunt and uncle walk to the house with his cousin.

"Because I slept over at their house, Ed."

"How come? Where are Uncle Tom and Samuel?"

Sarah sighed. "They're coming over in a while, Edison. Don't worry. Hey Aria, does Aunt Sarah get a kiss, Princess?"

"Yes." she giggled.

"Is everything okay?" Eric asked Sarah hesitantly. They had bonded a lot, over the years, since Tom was his cousin. They often left Edison and Aria with their aunts or uncles to go out for dinner together, the four of them.

"Mmhm," she mumbled absentmindedly, sipping some lemonade from Edison's glass.

"Aunt Sarah, give me back my lemonade!" Edison exclaimed, trying to grab it from her hands.

"Easy, Edison. Here."

The boy looked up at his aunt, shocked by her sharp voice. Aunt Sarah was always fun and nice and she let him do everything she wanted, unlike his parents. She was cool.

"Sarah." Isaiah put his hand on his sister's shoulder, and she sighed.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, kid. I didn't mean it. Why don't you, Aria and Christopher go play in the playroom for a while?" she suggested, making the five-year-old jump in excitement. Edison glanced at Sarah one last time before waddling behind his hyper little cousin and sister.

"What the hell happened? What did Tom do to you?" both Alex and Lachlan jumped up.

"Nothing!" Sarah sighed again. "Austin ruined my life."

"Oh, honey..."

"Don't 'honey' me, Mom. He did. He and his super sperm. Tom won't forgive me for not telling him."

"It was none of his business! I can't understand why he's so mad!"

"He said I should have told him as soon as I realized my abortion was what caused my infertility. And... he's just so angry, so furious, because I wasn't the one who told him. He overheard a conversation I was having with Zoe, I didn't tell him. I apologized, but he won't let it go. We have Samuel now. And taking care of him is hard, because he's not communicating. The last thing I need is to fight with my husband."

"I'll talk to him." Eric offered. "Okay?"

She nodded. "Let's talk about something else now. Where's Kirsten?"

"She's upstairs napping, Bella kept her awake all night."

Sarah nodded again, still thinking about Tom and their adopted son. She winced when she heard her half-sister's voice behind her, that anticipated the doorbell of a few seconds. She knew it was Tom, and she was not ready to face him yet after the big fight of the day before.

_**x**_

The lunch went smoothly. Cristina's cooking skills had improved during the years, and her roast chicken was divine. The three younger children played together, while Samuel kept himself distant from the others, though Sarah noticed he seemed interested in what Edison was explaining to Christopher about cars.

Bella slept most of the time, feeling safe in her grandaddy's arms.

After lunch, while Isaiah was making coffee and Lily was cutting the cake she had baked that morning, everyone went to the living room to sit more comfortably.

Sarah was absentmindedly listening to her mother and Zoe, who were ranting about Alex's upcoming birthday, when Tom approached her awkwardly.

"Can we talk for a minute?" he asked her sweetly, so different from the tone he had used the day before.

"Yeah... let's go to my dad's office."

Once there, Tom cleared his throat and wrapped his arms around Sarah's waist, pulling her in a hug. He inhaled her perfume, placing a soft kiss on her hair. "I'm sorry."

"Did Messer talk to you?" she asked, using to her brother-in-law's old nickname.

"He did, but I was going to say sorry anyway. I'm sorry." he repeated, and Sarah nodded, feeling tears in her eyes. The pressure of the last months was becoming too much.

"I was upset about you not telling me about Austin and the abortion, but it's okay. It wasn't my business, anyway. It was your past and I should have respected it."

This time, Sarah shook her head. "You had the right to be upset, because you're my husband and you should have heard it from me. But we can't make it an issue in our marriage."

"We won't." he said firmly.

Sarah sighed in relief, leaning against him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. Forgive me?"

Sarah chuckled. "Always."

"You won't believe what happened downstairs right before I asked you to come here."

"What?"

"After I talked to Eric, I went to the playroom to check on the kids. Samuel was building a racetrack with Chris and Edison."

Sarah's eyes widened. "He was?"

"He was." Tom nodded, looking into her eyes. "He's finally fitting in with the family."

"I don't know about you, but I'm about to run downstairs to see it with my own eyes."

Tom laughed, following her without letting go her hand. "I'll race you!"

When they peered in the room, they were ecstatic to find their son playing with his cousins, even Aria who was 'a girl' and 'only three', as he had said a few days before.

They smiled, closing the door quietly before going back to the rest of the family. When they adopted Sam eight months earlier, he barely said a word to them. He didn't talk, didn't tell them what he wanted or needed. He was apathetic. Now, seeing him with other children made them happier than they hoped they'd be.

"Samuel is playing with the kids!" Sarah announced excitedly. "He even helped Aria arrange her car on the racetrack!"

Everyone smiled at that. They were starting to worry Samuel would always push them away.

"That's awesome, guys!"

Still smiling, Sarah sat beside Kirsten and took Bella from her arms. "I haven't held her yet, today."

"Suit yourself. Just don't wake her."

Lily ended them a plate with some cake. "I hope you like it. Chocolate and coconut."

"Sarah will certainly love it." Tom smirked, and she rolled her eyes.

"I take it you two made up?"

"Fine, Eric. Thank you, you were amazing, we made up thanks to you. Thank you. Happy now?" Sarah joked, making everyone laugh.

Alex took Cristina's hand and brought it to his lip, kissing her knuckles.

She raised her eyes, smiling, and leaned against his shoulder. Alex put his arm around her, and she thought she always felt safe with him. Looking at her three children, two stepchildren, three children-in-law and five grandchildren, Cristina thought that dating Alex, over three decades earlier, hadn't been a bad idea, after all.

_The End (for real)_

**A/N: I hope you liked this second epilogue :) It may be more about Sarah than the others, but that's how it came out. I really enjoyed writing this story, and your reviews, though I would have loved to receive a few more! I really hope you liked reading it as much as I had fun writing it. Thank you! And, if you have ideas or requests for other Alex/Cristina stories, just let me know! :)**


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